WASHINGTON --- Senator Chuck Grassley today joined Senator Mary Landrieu and other senators to highlight their support for short- and long-term efforts to aid orphans in Haiti.

During a news conference on Capitol Hill, the bipartisan group emphasized their commitment to continued oversight of the federal agencies responsible for completing already approved adoptions in Haiti and to facilitate adoptions for children orphaned by this month's earthquake in Haiti.  Click here to view the video of Senator Grassley's statement at the news conference.

Last week, Grassley, Landrieu and others wrote to top U.S. government officials to urge more effective collaboration in the effort to evacuate the 600 to 700 orphans in Haiti who have adoptive families waiting for them in the United States.  Their letter said that a lot of the chaos that surrounds efforts to get these orphans safely to their adoptive families in the United States is a direct result of a lack of logistical inter-agency coordination, a lack of communication to the public and ad-hoc processing of travel documents by the U.S. Embassy.  Grassley, Landrieu and the others asked for a commitment that these orphans be safely and efficiently evacuated within the next ten days.

Today, Grassley said that the stories of children from Haiti joining adoptive parents in the United States and receiving the love and care they need "are heartwarming and inspirational.  There are many more children in Haiti who need that kind of help and everything possible should be done to facilitate adoptions and match true orphans with families who can give them a home.  It will take extensive cooperation with the government of Haiti and strong leadership on the part of the U.S. government."

Grassley is a member of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, which Landrieu co-chairs.  Last month, the two senators established a Senate Caucus on Foster Youth.  They have worked together and won passage of legislation to help more children move from foster care to permanent, loving homes.

WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley said today that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded grants totaling $95,893 to the Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency and the Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Authority through the Family Self Sufficiency Program.

"These funds will give families the opportunity to work with housing agencies to help reach their employment goals and objectives, as well as become and remain independent from public assistance," Grassley said.

This funding will be used by the housing agencies to help link residents with training opportunities, job placement organizations, and local employers.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded funds as described below.

  • Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency - $31,091

  • Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Authority - $64,802

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WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley today said that that he will be holding meetings in 21 counties from January 11 - 15.  The visits are part of Grassley's annual meetings in each of Iowa's 99 counties. The Senate will not be in session for a scheduled congressional recess.

"I've met with Iowans in every county, every year I've represented Iowa in the United States Senate.  It's this exchange of ideas that gives me greater insight directly from Iowans," Grassley said.  "Holding a meeting in each of our 99 counties gives me the opportunity to have an open and honest dialogue with the people I serve in the U.S. Senate."

Grassley's meetings will take him to the counties of Benton, Cedar, Clinton, Davis, Des Moines, Henry, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Muscatine, Poweshiek, Scott, Tama, Van Buren and Washington.

Grassley will hold town hall meetings in Anamosa, Belle Plaine, Bloomfield, Columbus Junction, De Witt, Fort Madison, Kalona, Maquoketa, Mount Pleasant, Muscatine, Sigourney, Traer and Williamsburg.

He will tour businesses and meet with employees at Greystone Logistics Manufacturing Facility in Bettendorf and GE Consumer & Industrial in West Burlington.He will also meet with students at North Cedar Middle School in Clarence.

In addition, he will speak with the Cedar Rapids Rotary in Cedar Rapids, the Grinnell Rotary in Grinnell, the Davenport Kiwanis and the Fairfield Rotary in Fairfield.

He will tour the Reach Out and Read site and speak with doctors and hospital staff at the Van Buren County Hospital in Keosauqua.

Here is detailed information about Grassley's upcoming county visits.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Noon - 1 p.m.:  Speak with Cedar Rapids Rotary, The Crowne Plaza Hotel, Ballroom, 350 1st Avenue NE, Cedar Rapids

2:15 - 3:15 p.m.:  Jones County Town Hall Meeting, Lawrence Community Center, 600 East Main Street, Anamosa

4:45 - 5:45 p.m.:  Jackson County Town Hall Meeting, Hurstville Interpretive Center, Community Room, 18670 63rd Street, Maquoketa

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

7:30 - 8:30 a.m.:  Clinton County Town Hall Meeting, De Witt Community Center, 512 10th Street, De Witt

10:30 - 11:30 a.m.:  Speak with students and tour new gym and commons at North Cedar Middle School, 400 Ball Street, Clarence

1:45 - 2:45 p.m.:  Iowa County Town Hall Meeting, Williamsburg Community Recreation Center, Large Meeting Room, 939 South Highland Street, Williamsburg

6 - 7 p.m.:  Speak with Grinnell Rotary, West Side Family Restaurant, 229 6th Avenue West, Grinnell

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

7 - 8 a.m.:  Tama County Town Hall Meeting, Traer Public Library, Kupka Cultural Center, 531 2nd Street, Traer

9:15 - 10:15 a.m.:  Benton County Town Hall Meeting, Belle Plaine Community Center, 1309 5th Avene, Belle Plaine

Noon - 1 p.m.:  Speak with Iowa City Optimist Club, Masonic Lodge, 312 East College Street, Iowa City

2:30 - 3:30 p.m.:  Keokuk County Town Hall Meeting, Keokuk County Health Center, Doug Adam Classroom, 23019 Highway 149, Sigourney

5 - 6 p.m.:  Washington County Town Hall Meeting, Kalona Chamber of Commerce, Meeting Room, 514 B Avenue, Kalona

Thursday, January 14, 2010

7:30 - 8:30 a.m.:  Muscatine County Town Hall Meeting, Muscatine Community College, Strahan Hall, Little Theatre, 152 Colorado Street, Muscatine

10:15 - 11:15 a.m.:  Meet with employees and tour Greystone Logistics Manufacturing Facility, 2601 Shoreline Drive, Bettendorf

Noon - 1 p.m.:  Speak with Davenport Kiwanis, Outing Club, 2109 North Brady Street, Davenport

3 - 4 p.m.:  Louisa County Town Hall Meeting, Columbus Junction City Hall, ICN Room, 232 2nd Street, Columbus Junction

5:30 - 6:30 p.m.:  Henry County Town Hall Meeting, Mount Pleasant Civic Center, Meeting Room, 2nd Floor, 307 East Monroe Street, Mount Pleasant

Friday, January 15, 2010

7 - 8 a.m.:  Meet with employees and tour GE Consumer and Industrial, 510 East Agency Road, West Burlington

9 - 10 a.m.:  Lee County Town Hall Meeting, Fort Madison City Hall, Council Chambers, 811 Avenue E, Fort Madison

Noon - 1 p.m.:  Speak with Fairfield Rotary, Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, 200 North Main Street, Fairfield

2 - 3 p.m.:  Tour Reach Out and Read site and visit with doctors and hospital staff, Van Buren County Hospital, 304 Franklin Street, Keosauqua

4:15 - 5:15 p.m.:  Davis County Town Hall Meeting, Southern Iowa Electric Cooperative, Touchstone Energy Training Center, 22458 Highway 2, Bloomfield


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