^{Rein in Washington's Overgrowth by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley}

Families across Iowa look forward to fall traditions, from school homecoming events to apple-picking, pumpkin patches and trick-or-treating. Iowa farmers are working longer hours to bring in the harvest, thankful that sunny skies and dry conditions are helping them get a good start on a good crop.

^{This fall I am also grateful for a tradition I've kept since Iowans first elected me to the U.S. Senate. In October I completed my face-to-face meetings with Iowans in each county. Holding a meeting in each of Iowa's 99 counties at least once every year gives me a good perspective on what people are talking about on Main Street, around their kitchen tables and in the workplace.}

^{At this time of year, I am tuned in to crop yields from county to county. Early reports indicate Iowa farmers are harvesting an impressive bounty.}

^{Washington's bounty, on the other hand, is not so impressive. Inside the Beltway, bean counters can measure an abundance of taxes, regulations and deficits. The reach of the federal bureaucracy sprawls across the landscape of American society, reaching deeply and broadly into the economy. Federal rules and regulations are implementing costly health care, banking, immigration, education, energy, transportation and farm policy that affects hard-working families all across the country.}

^{Federal regulations create a regressive tax on all Americans. Hidden compliance costs passed on to U.S. households reach nearly $15,000 per year per household, according to an analysis by the Competitive Enterprise Institute. A joint academic study estimates the federal government spends $57.3 billion to enforce its regulations. Another projection by the Competitive Enterprise Institute concludes the U.S. regulatory footprint would rank as the 10th largest economy in the world.}

^{Consider that in 2013, 72 federal laws were enacted. And yet there were 51 times that many federal rules issued - 3,659 - in just those 12 months. Furthermore, the Federal Register issued 79,311 pages of rules that same year handed down from the federal bureaucracy. From the economy to the environment, education, health care and taxes, Washington dictates, regulates, redistributes and centralizes its authority within a bloated bureaucracy that is cumbersome and unaccountable.}

^{Iowans tell me that Washington overtaxes, overregulates and overspends. Its overgrowth is eclipsing good government.}

^{Until the Veterans Department sweeps away bad management and fixes patient backlogs, the Secret Service and Drug Enforcement Administration get serious about punishing wrongdoers within their ranks and the Defense Department figures out how to clamp down on flagrant credit card abuse, the electorate will continue asking:  What's wrong with Washington?}

^{Taxpayers work hard for their money. And they deserve to get their money's worth, not wasteful spending squandered by Washington.}

^{And yet, the incredible fact is, they don't. The federal government improperly paid out $125 billion last year, according to the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office. That's a 20 percent jump over the previous year. Tracing the payment trail to government contractors requires constant oversight. From the Pentagon to Medicare, I relentlessly track federal spending to help ensure the nation's defense and health care dollars are spent as intended, as an example. From government-issued credit cards to bloated bureaucracies that rubber stamp improper payments, the federal payment stream is riddled with mismanagement.}

^{That's why I'm pushing new legislation that would implement continuous fiscal controls and accountability measures to thwart personal spending sprees on the taxpayer's dime. It builds upon my anti-fraud credit card bill that was signed into law in 2012.}

^{I'm also working to trim costly spending and excessive regulations with the REINS Act, or Regulations from the Executive In Need of Scrutiny Act. It would require any executive rule that would cost $100 million or more to come before Congress for approval. Basically, it would tighten oversight, foster transparency and increase accountability by derailing bureaucratic overreach from unelected officials. The House of Representatives passed the bill this summer. As a co-sponsor in the U.S. Senate, I'm working to get this bill to the President's desk.}

^{The REINS Act would address concerns made long ago by James Madison in Federalist Paper no. 62. He said that layers of laws and regulations allow the "sagacious and monied few" to "harvest" the benefits of big government. When Congress delegates too much authority and loosens the reins on the federal bureaucracy, we see bad policies such as the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule handed down by the unelected federal bureaucracy.}

^{Thanks to our system of checks and balances, an appellate court in October put the brakes on the EPA power grab. I'm also co-sponsoring a bipartisan bill to require the EPA to go back to the drawing board.}

^{When Washington piles on more taxes, more spending and more regulations, the government reins in the industriousness of the American people. And that's bad news for America's long-term prosperity. It's time to rein in the way Washington works and prune the overgrown regulatory state.}

^{As a longstanding champion for transparency, whistleblower protections and government accountability, I work to drive out a culture of corruption and cronyism that puts self-dealing and self-service above public service. Weeding out the poor yields of big government is needed to restore the public trust and harvest a bounty of good government "of, by and for the people."}

^{Friday, October 16, 2015}

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^{Grassley Questions President on Cuba Engagement Amid Reports of Cuban Troops in Syria}

^{WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today asked President Obama to reconcile strong engagement with the Cuban government amid reports of Cuban troops' fighting on the side of Russia and Iran in bolstering the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad.}  

^{"Russia's actions in Syria appear to be in direct contradiction to your statement of more than four years ago that 'the time has come for President Assad to step aside,' " Grassley wrote to the President today.  "And now, Cuba is acting as a military partner to Russia and Assad.  It's disconcerting that in light of your new relationship with Cuba, the Castro regime has chosen to align with Russia and Iran in supporting Assad in Syria.  You've called on Congress to take further actions to engage Cuba and normalize relations.  However, just months after your 'historic step forward' the regime of Raul Castro has essentially thumbed its nose at the U.S. by aligning with Russia, Iran and Assad in combating rebel fighters backed by the United States."}  

^{Grassley's letter continues, "Are you disappointed by Cuba's decision to provide military support with Russia to back Assad?  What actions do you plan to take with regard to Cuba's military involvement in Syria?  What message have you or your administration conveyed to the Cuban government regarding its actions?"}  

^{On Thursday afternoon, the President hosted the newly installed Cuban ambassador to the United States and a Cuban band at the White House.}  

^{The text of Grassley's letter is available here.}     

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^{Pork In Prisons}

^{After receiving questions from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, the Bureau of Prisons has reversed its decision to remove pork from federal prison menus.  In a letter yesterday to Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Charles Samuels, Grassley expressed concern about the lack of transparency used in the decision and the taxpayer dollars used to conduct surveys of prisoners' food wishes.}

^{"The decision by the Bureau of Prisons to completely remove pork from its menus was ham-handed at best.  I appreciate the quick decision after my letter to the bureau to keep pork products on prison menus.  That's good news for the American economy.  But, there are still questions about how the original determination was made and the cost of conducting the surveys.  None of that's been answered, and it ought to be.  I look forward to receiving a response to my letter."}

Judiciary Committee Field Hearing Sheds Light on Evolving Meth Challenges in Iowa

Des Moines, Iowa - A panel of Iowans shared their first-hand experience in the fight against meth, raising the profile of the drug's evolving threat to communities yesterday at a Senate Judiciary Committee field hearing hosted by Chairman Chuck Grassley. Testimony from law enforcement officials, public policy experts and drug treatment providers shed light on the scourge of meth in Iowa and the challenges it presents.

"The hearing highlighted not only the seriousness of the meth problem, but also the possibility of redemption with the right intervention and support. While meth use is not limited to Iowa, the witnesses at the hearing are helping those of us in Congress better understand the situations that many states and communities face. To identify solutions to the meth problem, we must first understand the perspectives of those who battle it every day.  I am thankful for those who shared their insight at the hearing and for all of those who work to eliminate meth and its harmful marks on Iowa," Grassley said.

Testifying at the hearing were: Denise Moore, a former meth addict who now works to rebuild families whose children have been removed; Steve Lukan, the Director of Iowa's Office of Drug Control Policy; Paul Fedderson, the Assistant Director of the Division of Narcotics Enforcement within Iowa's Department of Public Safety; Lieutenant Corbin Payne of the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force; and Jay Hansen, the Executive Director of Prairie Ridge Addictions Treatment Services in Mason City. The witnesses' written testimonies as well as Grassley's opening remarks are available HERE.

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Judiciary Committee Chairmen: Lax Administration Policy May Allow Alien Sex Offenders to Avoid Deportation

WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte are seeking details on how federal immigration officials will address two alien sex offenders.  In a letter today to Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, the lawmakers raise concerns that local sanctuary policies and new federal immigration practices may allow the sex offenders to avoid deportation and be released back into American communities.  Both sex offenders were arrested this month and are currently in law enforcement custody.

Arturo Ocon-Garcia was arrested October 5 by Customs and Border Patrol, where he remains detained.  He was previously convicted of sex offenses in Chicago, which has policies requiring local law enforcement to ignore immigration requests from federal authorities.  The lawmakers are asking how the Department of Homeland Security plans to ensure that Ocon-Garcia will not be released back into the public if he is transferred out of federal custody.

Melvin Perez Bonilla was arrested October 5 by Arlington County Police and has admitted to multiple sex offenses.  However, because Bonilla does not have any prior criminal convictions, he may not trigger any federal immigration actions - such as the issuance of a detainer to transfer him to federal custody - based on the administration's new lax Priority Enforcement Program.  This program narrows the category of criminal immigrants the administration will seek to remove from the country.

Grassley and Goodlatte are asking for more information surrounding the sex offenders' immigration statuses as well as how the agency plans to respond to their recent charges.

Full text of the Grassley-Goodlatte letter

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Grassley: Iowa Federal Judicial Nominees to have Hearing Next Week

WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today said that a nominations hearing has been scheduled for Judge Leonard Strand and Judge Rebecca Ebinger, individuals recommended by Grassley for federal judgeships in the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa.

The hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee will be held in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, October 21, at 10 a.m. (ET).  The committee is responsible for approving the President's Article III judicial nominations, including nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court, 13 circuit courts and 94 district courts, including Iowa's Northern District and Southern District courts.

"Both Judge Strand and Judge Ebinger have impeccable credentials and have been through a rigorous application process, by both my commission and the White House.  I appreciate the White House working with me to move these outstanding Iowans forward," Grassley said.  "I look forward to seeing both nominees next week before my committee."

Grassley recommended Strand and Ebinger to the White House after an extensive effort by a Judicial Selection Commission that Grassley formed after two judges announced their intention to take senior status.  The commission was comprised of highly qualified members of the Iowa legal community, and led by Cynthia Moser, a former Iowa State Bar Association president. The commission also included Richard Sapp, Jeffrey Goodman, Harlan D. Hockenberg, and Adam Freed.

These lawyers spent hundreds of hours carefully reviewing applications and interviewing each of the 39 Iowans who submitted applications and sought consideration.  Eleven applicants were then selected to participate in a lengthy second interview.  The commission's review included not only these interviews, but also a thorough study and examination of the applicants' professional history, credentials, and qualifications.  The commission then made recommendations to Grassley, who reviewed the candidates and their qualifications before submitting his recommendations to the White House.

Strand currently serves as a U.S. magistrate judge in Sioux City for the Northern District of Iowa.  He graduated first in his class from the College of Law at the University of Iowa and brings extensive experience in civil litigation from private practice in Cedar Rapids.

Ebinger is a state district judge in Polk County.  She graduated from Yale Law School, was an assistant U.S. attorney in both the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa, and clerked for Judge Michael J. Melloy of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) have introduced legislation to apply the disclosure of drug company and medical device maker payments to nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

"There ought to be a complete record for consumer benefit," Grassley said.  "The goal of sunshine for payments to doctors is to help the public.  It makes sense to apply the sunshine to anyone who prescribes medicine.  The goal of this bill is to continue the transparency that brings accountability."

"Requiring companies to disclose gifts and payments made to other health care providers - not just doctors - is absolutely essential," said Blumenthal. "The Provider Patient Sunshine Act will rein in dishonorable behavior by increasing transparency and accountability across the entire healthcare industry. Increased access to information is in the public's best interest, and this legislation will ensure healthcare consumers receive safe, efficient, and cost-effective practices."

The new Provider Payment Sunshine Act would require drug companies and medical device makers to publicly disclose their payments to nurse practitioners and physician assistants for promotional talks, consulting and other interactions.  The disclosures already apply to doctors, dentists, chiropractors, optometrists and podiatrists under the Physician Payment Sunshine Act, co-authored by Grassley and enacted in 2010.  The records that apply to doctors are publicly available in the federal Open Payments database.  The payments to nurse practitioners and physician assistants would be added to the database.

Nurse practitioners and physician assistants write a significant number of prescriptions in Medicare and nationwide, and they were among the top prescribers for some drugs, including narcotic controlled substances, according to a ProPublica analysis.  Also, a few of them have been criminally charged with taking industry kickbacks.

Since 2013, the Open Payments database created by the Physician Payment Sunshine Act covers 15.71 million published records and $9.92 billion in payments.  Grassley co-authored the legislation after his oversight and news stories uncovered payments from industry to doctors.  Rather than prohibit such payments, which in many cases might benefit patients as in through research, the legislation required disclosure.

Senator Grassley is an original cosponsor of this bipartisan legislation to improve telehealth services for veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs.  "Travel to a VA facility can be a real hardship for some veterans for whom it isn't easy to get to the nearest clinic or hospital that offers the care they need," Grassley said.  "Telehealth can make it less necessary to go to a facility as often and still help veterans get medical treatment."

Ernst, Hirono Introduce VETS Act

Bipartisan legislation to improve health care access and affordability for disabled or rural veterans by expanding VA telehealth services

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI), led eight co-sponsors, in introducing the bipartisan Veterans E-Health & Telemedicine Support Act of 2015 (VETS Act), legislation to improve health care access for disabled or rural veterans by expanding telehealth services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

As defined by the Department of Health and Human Services telehealth is, "the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health and health administration. Technologies include videoconferencing, the internet, store-and-forward imaging, streaming media, and terrestrial and wireless communications."

Under current law, the VA may only waive the state license requirement for telehealth services if both the patient and physician are located in a federally owned facility. In addition, the VA may only perform at-home telehealth care when the patient and physician are located in the same state. These barriers are a deterrent for disabled or rural veterans who are seeking treatment from a physician in another state, in some cases forcing veterans to travel great lengths to a federal facility before receiving telehealth services by camera or phone.

The VETS Act would address these deficiencies by allowing qualified VA health professionals to operate across state lines and conduct telehealth services, including mental health care treatment, for veterans from the comfort and privacy of their own homes.

Telehealth is one of the VA's major transformational initiatives, and the number of veterans utilizing telehealth services continues to climb. In fact, VA telehealth care grew by 18 percent among veterans in Fiscal Year 2014 and in turn more than 12 percent of veterans received elements of their care through telehealth services. According to the VA, 88 percent of veterans who utilized the VA's telehealth services were satisfied with the care they received. Telehealth services are effective and affordable as veterans save on average $2,000 per year in health care related costs, including travel to a VA medical facility.

"The bipartisan Veterans E-Health & Telemedicine Support Act moves us one step closer to achieving more affordable, patient-centered health care that our veterans deserve by embracing telehealth services to offer physician care and health treatment beyond the walls of a VA facility," said Senator Ernst. "Telehealth care is an innovative and important means to meet the wide-ranging needs of veterans in Iowa and nationwide, including the invisible struggles of mental health care."

"Our nation has a moral obligation to provide the best care for all veterans," said Senator Hirono. "This legislation would eliminate the added burden of traveling long distances, or even to different states, in order to see a doctor. The VETS Act will build on a VA telemedicine program that is proven to work and removes barriers to accessing care particularly for veterans in rural areas like Hawaii's Neighbor Islands."

Additional cosponsors to the bipartisan VETS Act include : Senators Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), John Boozman (R-AR), John Cornyn (R-TX), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Tom Udall (D-NM).

The VETS Act is widely endorsed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, the American Legion, Concerned Veterans for America, and the American Telemedicine Association.

The companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives was introduced by Congressmen Charles Rangel (D-NY) and Glen Thompson (R-PA).

Click here to read the full text of the VETS Act.

VETS Act:

·         Allows VA health professionals to practice telemedicine across state lines if they are qualified and practice within the scope of their authorized federal duties.

·         Ensures the VA and Congress provide oversight of the VA's telehealth program by requiring the VA to measure program effectiveness.

Benefits of VA Telehealth Services in Fiscal Year 2014:

·         Provided veterans telehealth care from more than 150 VA Medical Centers and over 750 Community Based Outpatient Clinics.

·         More than 12 percent of veterans received elements of their care through telehealth services.

·         More than 717,000 veterans participated in over 2.1 million telehealth care interactions.

·         45 percent of veterans who used telehealth services lived in rural areas.

·         Reduced hospital bed days of care by 54 percent.

·         Reduced hospital admissions by 32 percent.

·         VA telehealth care grew by 18 percent among veterans in Fiscal Year 2014.

·         Patient satisfaction for clinical video telehealth averaged 94 percent.

·         Patient satisfaction for overall home telehealth services averaged 88 percent.

·         Home telehealth services save veterans on average $2,000 per year.