13 Dec 2013

Grassley Child Welfare Provisions Advance Via Committee

By Grassley Press

Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today received bipartisan committee approval for his child welfare policy improvements including promoting sibling connections in foster care and strengthening child support enforcement.

"Child welfare experts tell you and common sense tells you children benefit when they're kept together and have strong relationships," Grassley said.  "This legislation removes barriers to federal law that prevent families of siblings from knowing when a child is placed in foster care or siblings from losing ties when parental rights are terminated.  This will help maintain sibling relationships and in turn help the kids.

"The child support provisions help states recover money that family courts have determined is owed to custodial parents.   We ought to do more to make sure money owed gets to the parents and children who need and deserve it.  Child support enforcement helps make sure families are strong and independent."

The Finance Committee approved the Grassley provisions as part of broad child welfare legislation, the Supporting At-Risk Children Act of 2013.

The sibling provisions are based on the Sibling Connections Act introduced by Grassley and Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia this week.  The Sibling Connections Act follows the example of at least five states, including Iowa, that have passed legislation or regulation that recognizes the parents of siblings as "relatives" for foster care placement.

That means the parents of a child's siblings are notified when the child enters foster care, allowing the adult guardians to try to maintain the sibling relationships.

Also, the bill corrects the current situation in which siblings lose their status as siblings when their parents' rights are terminated.  The loss of sibling status undermines the requirement of the landmark Fostering Connections law that siblings be placed together whenever possible.

The child support enforcement measures are drawn from legislation from Grassley and Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey.   Provisions from their bill that passed in committee today would:

--Require the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to use federal and, if necessary, state child support enforcement methods to ensure compliance with any U.S. treaty obligations associated with any multilateral child support convention to which the United States is a party.

--Require states, in order to receive federal funding, to implement amendments made by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws to the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act.

--Expand access to the Federal Parent Locator Service to assist states in locating noncustodial parents, putative fathers, and custodial parties to ensure compliance with their child support obligations.

In addition to the Grassley-authored provisions, the broad children's welfare bill that advanced today included several priorities of strong interest to Grassley, including reauthorizing adoption incentives; provisions to help reunite foster children with loved ones, and significant improvements to protect youth from sex trafficking.

Grassley is a long-time advocate for adoption and improving foster care, especially the challenges facing those who age out of the system.  He is the co-founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Caucus on Foster Youth.  He has secured several key legislative improvements to promote adoption.  More information is available here.

Grassley is former chairman and ranking member of the Finance Committee.  He is a senior member of the committee.

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13 Dec 2013

Grassley Health Care Provisions Advance in Key Committee Bill

By Grassley Press

Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today received key committee approval of his measures to increase fair treatment of Iowa doctors in Medicare, improve spending for health care oversight, and increase the transparency of Medicare payments to doctors, among other measures.

"These provisions increase value and transparency in federal health care programs," Grassley said.  "It's important to advance bipartisan measures that make Medicare and Medicaid work better for beneficiaries and taxpayers."

Grassley filed amendments that were accepted during the Finance Committee's consideration of a Medicare physician payment bill.  Grassley amendments passed by the committee include :

--A provision to provide for the improved use of funds received by the Department Health and Human Services for oversight and investigative activities.  The department's Office of the Inspector General protects the integrity of HHS programs and the health and welfare of the people they serve.  The inspector general's office is responsible for providing oversight of nearly $1 trillion in HHS spending oversight, or about $0.24 of every federal dollar. Its responsibilities have grown with expanded programs including the Affordable Care Act.  Grassley's provision allows the inspector general to receive and retain three percent of all collections pursuant to civil debt collection actions related to false claims or frauds involving the Medicare program.

--A provision to help Iowa providers who are geographically disadvantaged by Medicare compared to those in other areas of the country.   Under current law, the Medicare fee schedule is adjusted geographically for three factors to reflect differences in the cost of resources needed to produce physician services: physician work, practice expense, and medical malpractice insurance.   The Grassley amendment makes permanent the existing floor 1.0 on the physician work index under the Medicare physician fee schedule, which helps Iowa providers receive fair reimbursement relative to their peers in other parts of the country, so they are encouraged to continue serving Iowans.

--An extension of provisions to help rural hospitals.  Grassley and Sen. Chuck Schumer included language to continue the Medicare-dependent hospital program and enhanced low-volume Medicare adjustment for prospective payment system hospitals.  These provisions are helpful for rural hospitals in low population areas that are more dependent on Medicare than their urban counterparts and provide valuable health care to their communities.

--Language that would make Medicare claims data available to the public.  Both the House and Senate versions of legislation addressing the Medicare physician payment formula include the key provisions from Grassley and Sen. Ron Wyden's Medicare Data Access for Transparency and Accountability Act (Medicare DATA Act). This would establish a free, searchable Medicare payment database that would be readily available to the public online at no cost.  Today's action is the first time the legislation has passed out of the committee.

"Transparency draws in the public and invites analysis of policy and spending," Grassley said. "More transparency has made a difference in accountability in the tax-exempt sector, and it does the same wherever it's applied in health care."

--A fix to a provision in the underlying bill that created a potential disincentive for providers to participate in Medicaid.   Doctors are increasingly reluctant to participate in Medicaid, yet their participation is critical to the level of service provided by the program.

--A provision directing a study by the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) of individuals whose shifting income and other changing status makes it difficult to track their eligibility for Medicaid or transitional medical assistance.  "Understanding the volatility in income for these individuals will be helpful in informing future policy making," Grassley said.

Grassley also spoke in favor of an amendment from Sen. Debbie Stabenow to establish criteria for Federally Qualified Community Behavioral Health Centers to ensure the centers cover a broad range of mental health services, including 24-hour crisis care, increased integration of physical, mental and substance abuse treatment so they are treated simultaneously rather than separately, and expanded support for families of people living with mental health issues.

On the underlying bill approved by the committee on voice vote today, Grassley said he supported repeal of the sustainable growth rate and the replacement bill but urged caution and careful analysis of the replacement bill's effects, especially on certain kinds of providers.

"If it ends up that the formula in this bill hurts mostly rural providers or mostly providers who treat complex patients or mostly providers who are specialists or mostly providers who are already high quality performers, we can come back and fix it legislatively, even though we all know the winners under the formula will fight against any change," Grassley said.  "The bill does provide the Secretary authority to fix the problem herself if Congress doesn't act.  Therefore, we could be dependent on the Secretary's use of her authority to fix problems as they arise.  However, the bill does not allow for judicial review of the Secretary's use of this broad authority if providers think this authority is being used in an arbitrary manner.  I am supportive of the bill but remain concerned with the uncertainty of how it will ultimately be implemented."

Grassley is former chairman and ranking member of the Finance Committee, with jurisdiction over Medicare and Medicaid.  He is a senior member of the committee.

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13 Dec 2013

Feinstein, Grassley Outline Steps to Combat West African Drug Trade

By Grassley Press
Washington?Dec 12, 2013 -- U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), co-chairs of the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, today released a bipartisan report: Eight Steps to Counter the Drug Trade in West Africa that provides recommendations for Congress and the Obama Administration to counter illicit activities surrounding the West African drug trade.

Senator Feinstein said: "The rising drug trade in West Africa has become increasingly dangerous in recent years?destabilizing governments, enriching criminal groups and funding terrorist organizations?including Hezbollah and Al Qaeda in the Land of the Islamic Maghreb. Given the threat the illegal drug trade poses to democratic gains and economic progress in the region, partnering with our allies in West Africa to combat the flow of drugs is a win-win for both the United States and the region."

Senator Grassley said: "The huge profits generated from the West African drug trade aren't just lining the pockets of drug traffickers and common criminals. Known terrorist organizations, with deep-seated hatred of the United States, use profits from drug sales to support their networks and training camps around the world. This report offers recommendations to address key weaknesses that allow the West African drug trade to flourish and fund terrorism against the United States and its allies."

 

The report recommends:

  • Strengthening the U.S.-funded West Africa Cooperative Security Initiative by developing a regional interdiction strategy that targets priority individuals and organizations in West Africa, including drug traffickers with ties to terrorist organizations;
  • Prioritizing the targeting of finances of transnational criminal groups operating in West Africa;
  • Mapping the local and international drug trafficking organizations and terrorist groups operating in West Africa and how they interact with each other;
  • Assessing where Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) highly vetted units are most needed and working with host country counterparts to establish them;
  • Providing DEA-funded clandestine methamphetamine laboratory training to West African counterparts; and
  • Encouraging West African partners to report to the United Nations on precursor chemicals for methamphetamine being shipped through their countries.

 

The Caucus originally held a hearing on the West African drug trade on May 16, 2012.

The report is endorsed by all members of the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control: Senators Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), James E. Risch (R-Idaho) and John Cornyn (R-Texas).

The entire report can be found here.

 

###

13 Dec 2013

Grassley Joins Iowa Governor, Congressional Delegation in Seeking Iowa Hearing on Proposed Reductions to the Renewable Fuel Standard

By Grassley Press

Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013

 

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today joined the Iowa governor, lieutenant governor, Iowa secretary of agriculture and the entire state congressional delegation in expressing strong opposition to the Obama Administration's proposed reduction in the Renewable Fuel Standard and seeking a federal hearing in Iowa to allow federal officials to hear directly from Iowans on the proposed change.

"Too often, federal agencies make major policy changes without considering the people and the economies affected," Grassley said.  "The Environmental Protection Agency regularly falls in that category.  Now, supporters of clean, homegrown, green energy and forward-thinking energy policy are united in letting the Obama Administration know that its proposal is short-sighted and irresponsible, and that the Administration should hear from Midwesterners before making such a sweeping policy change."

The bipartisan letter to President Obama, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and U.S. Department of Agriculture Sec. Tom Vilsack was signed by Grassley, Gov. Terry Branstad, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, Sen. Tom Harkin, Congressmen Tom Latham, Steve King, Dave Loebsack and Bruce Braley, and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey.  The letter is available here.

More on Grassley's views on the proposed reduction is available here.

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13 Dec 2013

National Security Concerns Raised with EB-5 Visa Program

By Grassley Press

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Some concerns stem from investigation into Iranian operatives

WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today pressed the administration for answers about an Immigration and Customs Enforcement memo that raises significant national security questions about the EB-5 visa program, which is an avenue for foreign investors to participate in potential, new commercial enterprises in the United States in exchange for a U.S. visa.  The memo was written by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arm of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

In a letter to Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director John Sandweg, Grassley wrote, "The HSI memo makes clear that overall, HSI believes the Regional Center model has significant flaws..."  Grassley also said the memo identified several areas of vulnerability within the EB-5 visa program.  The memo questioned whether the vulnerabilities could be fixed in order to "ensure the integrity of the program."

Grassley was especially concerned about a section of the memo that outlines how the EB-5 program "may be abused by Iranian operatives to infiltrate the United States."  According to the memo, HSI became concerned about the program while investigating operatives who allegedly "facilitate terrorism and are involved in an illicit procurement network that exports items to Iran..."

Here's a copy of the text of Grassley's letter to Sandweg.  A copy of the memo and letter can be found here.

 

December 12, 2013

 

VIA ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION

 

John Sandweg

Acting Director

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

500 12th Street, SW

Washington, D.C. 20536

 

Dear Acting Director Sandweg:

I write to inquire about an internal U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) memo that raises significant questions about U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' (USCIS's) EB-5 Regional Center program.  The memo is from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), an investigative arm of ICE.  It appears to have been written in response to a request from Secretary Janet Napolitano.

One section of the memo outlines "concerns that this particular visa program [EB-5] may be abused by Iranian operatives to infiltrate the United States . . . ."[1] Two of the operatives allegedly "facilitate terrorism and are involved in an illegal procurement network that exports items to Iran for use by 'secret' Iranian government agencies."[2] According to the memo, one of the operatives acted as a representative in the U.S. for an Iranian front company allegedly run by an individual associated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.[3]

This is not the first time that Iranian operatives have been discovered operating in the United States.  In this spring of this year, Manssor Arbabsiar, who had both Iranian and U.S. passports, was sentenced for plotting with Iranian military officials to kill the Saudi Arabian ambassador by bombing a Washington, D.C. restaurant.[4] Earlier this fall, news outlets reported that the U.S. had intercepted an order from Iran to attack U.S. interests in the event of a strike on Syria.[5] In light of these facts, it is alarming to see documentation that appears to indicate Iranian operatives used the EB-5 program to try to obtain visas for their associates.

According to the HSI memo, ICE identified seven main areas of program vulnerability with the EB-5 visa:

1)      Export of sensitive technology/economic espionage;

2)      Use by foreign government agents/espionage;

3)      Use by terrorists;

4)      Investment fraud by regional center;

5)      Investment fraud by investors;

6)      Fraud conspiracies by investors and regional center; and

7)      Illicit finance/money laundering.[6]

The memo states: "The aforementioned vulnerabilities are directly affected by information gaps on the alien beneficiaries of the EB-5 program.  Unlike most other permanent resident visa classifications, EB-5 beneficiaries do not need to establish a significant and verifiable background for program eligibility."[7]

According to the memo, HSI made several suggestions for both information collection fixes and legislative fixes to close loopholes in the EB-5 program.  Of the information collection fixes, the memo states: "HSI proposed making changes to the USCIS forms (I-526, I-829, I-924, and I-924A) that are used by RC's [regional centers] and alien investors.  HSI felt that the forms did not collect enough information to determine the validity of either the RC's, the alien investors or the source of the investor's funds."[8]

The legislative changes proposed by HSI were: (1) doubling the minimum investment amount, (2) limiting the program to allow only active investors involved in managing and directing a business enterprise, and (3) eliminating the consideration of induced jobs for meeting the requirements of the program.  These suggestions were not included in the technical assistance provided by USCIS in June 2012 when the EB-5 program was being reauthorized.  The only HSI recommendation which appeared in any form in the technical assistance was a proposal for providing inflationary adjustments to the minimum investment amount, which is very different from doubling it.

The HSI memo makes clear that overall, HSI believes the Regional Center model has significant flaws and should be abandoned: "The principal change proposed by HSI was that the Regional Center Model be allowed to sunset, as HSI maintains there are no safeguards that can be put in place that will ensure the integrity of the RC model."[9]

Given these concerns with the EB-5 Regional Center program and information gaps on recipients of EB-5 visas, it is important that Congress have statistics on what happens after individuals enter the U.S. on an EB-5 visa.  Foreign investors who participate in the EB-5 program may receive conditional permanent residence for a two-year period.  However, it seems unlikely that they are ever removed from the country even if the conditions of their conditional status are not met because the required jobs weren't created within the required period.

Therefore, please respond to the following:

1.      Please produce all legislative and information collection recommendations made by ICE or any of its divisions for the EB-5 program.  Please provide in detail any specific changes recommended for USCIS forms I-526, I-829, I-924, and I-924A.

2.      For each of the above recommendations, please identify the date ICE proposed the recommendation and to what entities it was proposed.

3.      What is the current total number of EB-5 conditional residents whose request to remove conditional status was denied?

4.      Does ICE know how many EB-5 investors who were denied permanent resident status remain in the country?  Does ICE know the location of these foreign investors?  If so, please provide a status report, including how many are detained, how many are in removal proceedings, and how many have been removed from the country by ICE.

5.      Do you or your agency have any information as to why USCIS did not provide Congress with the legislative recommendations made by HSI, as indicated in the attached memo?

6.      What is ICE doing to help ensure that USCIS does not provide EB-5 visas to individuals and entities that are involved in international terrorism or proliferation operations, as was the case with Iranian operatives whose goal was to infiltrate the U.S. and export items back to their country?

7.      What is the current status of the Iranian case mentioned in the memo?

8.      What type of visas did the two Iranian operatives mentioned in the memo enter the U.S. on?

9.      Is the principal of the regional center referenced in the memo in the United States?  If so, what type of visa did the principal enter the U.S. on?

10.  For each individual associated with the principal of the regional center through TECS subrecord hits, please indicate whether or not the individual has entered the U.S. in the past or is currently in the U.S., as well as what type of visa each individual entered the U.S. on.

11.  What is the current immigration status of each of the individuals referenced in questions 8, 9, and 10?

Thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.  Please respond to these questions by January 1, 2014.  Should you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact XXXX of my staff at (202) 224-5225.  I look forward to your prompt response.

 

Sincerely,

Charles E. Grassley
Ranking Member
Committee on the Judiciary
13 Dec 2013

Medicare payment transparency provisions included in key committee bill

By Grassley Press

Grassley, Wyden Applaud SGR's Medicare Payment Transparency Provisions

Medicare DATA Act Language Included

 

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today applauded inclusion of language that would make Medicare claims data available to the public as part of legislation addressing Medicare's physician payment formula.

Both the House and Senate versions of legislation addressing the Medicare physician payment formula include the key provisions from Grassley and Wyden's Medicare Data Access for Transparency and Accountability Act (Medicare DATA Act). This would establish a free, searchable Medicare payment database that would be readily available to the public online at no cost.

The database would include all payments made to physicians by Medicare. Patients' privacy would be fully protected, and providers would have an opportunity to correct payment information before it is posted online.

"Transparency draws in the public and invites analysis of policy and spending," Grassley said. "More transparency has made a difference in accountability in the tax-exempt sector, and it does the same wherever it's applied in health care."

"Healthcare, particularly Medicare, is notorious for its lack of transparency," Wyden said. "Allowing the public to finally see where Medicare dollars are being spent creates a powerful check against waste and a valuable research tool for improving care for seniors."

Under current law, access to the Medicare payment database is limited to a small number of bureaucrats and academics despite a federal judge's ruling in favor of greater public access.

The text of the Medicare DATA Act is available here.  Grassley's statement on the bill introduction is available here. Wyden's statement on the bill introduction is available here.

###
12 Dec 2013

Child Support Measures from Grassley, Menendez in Broad Bill Advancing in Committee

By Grassley Press

Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013

WASHINGTON - Measures from Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Robert Menendez of New Jersey to strengthen child support enforcement are included in broad child welfare legislation scheduled for consideration in the Finance Committee this week.

"The provisions help states recover money that family courts have determined is owed to custodial parents," Grassley said.  "We ought to do more to make sure money owed gets to the parents and children who need and deserve it. Child support enforcement helps make sure families are strong and independent."

The Supporting At-Risk Children Act of 2013 is scheduled for committee consideration on Thursday.  The measure includes the following provisions from the Menendez-Grassley bill, the Strengthen and Vitalize Enforcement of Child Support (SAVE Child Support) Act, S. 508, introduced in March:

--Requires the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to use federal and, if necessary, state child support enforcement methods to ensure compliance with any U.S. treaty obligations associated with any multilateral child support convention to which the United States is a party.

--Requires states, in order to receive federal funding, to implement amendments made by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws to the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act.

--Expands access to the Federal Parent Locator Service to assist states in locating noncustodial parents, putative fathers, and custodial parties to ensure compliance with their child support obligations.

A description of the chairman's version, or mark, of the Supporting At-Risk Children Act of 2013 is available here.

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11 Dec 2013

NASA/H211 hangar leasing, fuel purchases

By Grassley Press
Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today made the following comment on a review from the NASA inspector general examining allegations of improper leasing of a hangar and aircraft fuel purchases between NASA's Ames Research Center and H211, a private company that manages aircraft owned or leased by Google executives.  Grassley has looked into the arrangement amid allegations of poor management by the government to taxpayers' detriment.

"I'm glad the NASA inspector general was able to clear up some of the questions surrounding NASA and Google.  I also have asked the Defense Department inspector general to take a broader look at these fuel contracts.  Given that a 'misunderstanding' between NASA and the Defense Department led to taxpayers' losing out on $3.3 million to $5.3 million in this one contract, a look at these arrangements as a whole is definitely warranted.  The inspector general recommends that NASA explore 'remedies.'  The obvious remedy would be for NASA to seek repayment to the taxpayers for the fuel benefit.  If NASA fails to pursue this option and make taxpayers whole, it's hard to imagine how NASA would justify such a corporate giveaway."

The inspector general review is available here.

11 Dec 2013

Grassley, Kaine Introduce Bill to Improve Sibling Connections in Child Welfare System

By Grassley Press

Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013

 

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia today introduced legislation to improve sibling connections in the child welfare system.

"Child welfare experts tell you and common sense tells you children benefit when they're kept together and have strong relationships," Grassley said.  "Our bill removes barriers to federal law that prevent families of siblings from knowing when a child is placed in foster care or siblings from losing ties when parental rights are terminated.  This will help maintain sibling relationships and in turn help the kids."

"Ensuring that children in the child welfare system remain connected to their siblings provides them with continuity and support," said Kaine.  "My wife Anne is a longtime advocate for foster children and during my term as Governor we successfully strengthened permanent family connections for older children in foster care through the 'For Keeps' initiative and increased funding to recruit more foster and adoptive parents. Today I'm proud to introduce the Sibling Connections Act that will keep brothers and sisters together and result in fewer emotional and behavioral problems down the line."

Grassley and Kaine said the Grassley-authored Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 made great strides to improve child welfare but several obstacles impede sibling relationships.  The Sibling Connections Act introduced today follows the example of at least five states, including Iowa, that have passed legislation or regulation that recognizes the parents of siblings as "relatives" for foster care placement.   That means the parents of a child's siblings are notified when the child enters foster care, allowing the adult guardians to try to maintain the sibling relationships.

Also, the Grassley-Kaine bill would correct the current situation in which siblings lose their status as siblings when their parents' rights are terminated.  The loss of sibling status undermines the requirement of the Fostering Connections law that siblings be placed together whenever possible.

Grassley said he is inspired in this effort by parents including Robert and Sharon White of Ames.  The Whites are long-time advocates for adoption and quality foster care, including keeping siblings together. The Whites have adopted several children and have recently decided to become foster parents.  They also have worked with Iowa state legislators to pass legislation making it easier for children in foster care to be adopted with their siblings.

Grassley is a long-time advocate for adoption and improving foster care, especially the challenges facing those who age out of the system.  He is the co-founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Caucus on Foster Youth.  He has secured several key legislative improvements to promote adoption.  More information is available here.

More information on the value of sibling relationships is available here.

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10 Dec 2013

Q&A on Military Reform

By Grassley Press

with U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley

Q:        What's held up the Defense Authorization bill?

A:       Action stalled in November on the $625 billion defense bill because the Democratic leader refused to agree on allowing additional amendments, beyond those he supports, to be considered during floor debate.  This time the legislative logjam affects national security and U.S. troops.  In addition to military funding that would be authorized, the bill gives lawmakers an opportunity to legislate policy reforms.  Throughout this year I have laid bipartisan groundwork to advance measures designed to strengthen morale among our men and women in uniform.  A recent Pentagon study surveyed 100,000 active-duty service members.  It found 26,000 members experienced offenses ranging from sexual harassment to sexual assault.  Fewer than 3,400 reported the incidents.  These numbers reflect a failure of leadership among the top brass to address an issue that has raised questions about the culture of the U.S. military since the 1991 Tailhook scandal two decades ago.  The survey suggests the chain of command is unwilling or unable to address this sensitive issue when more than one-quarter of respondents experienced sexual misconduct, but less than four percent stepped forward to report it.  Policymakers can't afford to allow a culture of sexual misconduct to continue harming our troops and the military's reputation.  Doing so would add up to bigger problems that damage recruitment, retention and readiness.

Q:        What are the bipartisan reforms you are championing to combat sexual misconduct within the military?

A: The first is called the Military Whistleblower Protection Act. This amendment would beef up laws intended to protect those who report sexual assault, fraud or other misconduct within the military.  Blowing the whistle on wrongdoing should not result in retaliation and victimization of those who come forward to tell the truth.  It would extend reporting rules from 60 days to one year and require corrective relief to victims and discipline measures for those who retaliate. It would include support for victims as well as witnesses.  This reform would empower service men and women to come forward and report wrongdoing without fear of reprisal.  Victims and witnesses should not have to worry that telling the truth would negatively impact their military careers.

The second is called the Military Justice Improvement Act.  The military has a blemished track record to prevent and prosecute sexual assaults among its ranks that calls for long overdue reforms.  This bill would empower victims to come forward by taking the judicial process for sexual assault cases outside the chain of command.  I'm working to help build bipartisan support from lawmakers to get this reform adopted once and for all.  It would send an important message to the troops.  Sexual predators who prey on their victims within the service branches of the military must stand down.  They disgrace the code of honor upheld by the vast majority of men and women in uniform and must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.  This is a law enforcement issue to help ensure impartial justice.

These reforms would show that the people's branch of the federal government stands up for our brave men and women who put themselves in harm's way to protect the blessings of freedom.

Q:        What other amendments are you working to include in the defense bill?

A: As a longtime watchdog for the taxpaying public, I'm supporting two reforms that would protect tax dollars from wasteful spending, including a bipartisan amendment that would limit taxpayer-reimbursed compensation for defense contractor executives.  Under current law, the compensation reimbursement cap for federal government contractors would automatically increase from $763,029 to $952,308, retroactive to January 2012.  When the Pentagon and other federal bureaucracies are being asked to tighten their belts to stay within the budget caps, it just doesn't square that taxpayers will be on the hook for exorbitant salaries for government contractors.  I can tell you that not one taxpayer, in my thousands of meetings in each of Iowa' 99 counties in the last 33 years, has said this is a reasonable use of tax dollars.  The second reform would improve processes to audit the Pentagon's books.  The Department of Defense needs better tools to ensure that money spent is money owed.

I'm also advancing proposals that would make more effective use of the nation's military arsenals, such as the Rock Island Arsenal, to include a requirement that the military consider arsenals when looking at fulfilling equipment needs.

Finally, I'm throwing my support behind two amendments to improve services for veterans. The first is an amendment that would help recruit the best and brightest medical professionals to the Veterans Administration medical system by allowing VA doctors to access an existing program that provides loan forgiveness and scholarships to doctors working in underserved areas.  The second is an amendment that would protect the integrity of veterans programs that help those returning from active military service to transition to the private sector. The amendment would clarify the term "veteran" as one who served in the Armed Forces.  It would end a loophole that allows individuals to game the system by claiming "veteran status" based solely on attendance of a military prep school.  It would not affect those who attend a military service academy or who enlist in the military after attending a military prep school.  The Support Earned Recognition of Veterans Act would clarify the definition of a veteran to exclude claims made by those who only attended a military prep school from obtaining hiring preferences, "veteran-owned small business status" or lifetime compensation benefits.

Let's hope the Senate Majority Leader will have a change of mind when the Senate resumes consideration of the defense authorization bill and allow these and other amendments to be debated.  These are sensible reforms that would protect the taxpaying public, support the troops and help get the U.S. military get off to a good start in the New Year.

Monday, December 9, 2013

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