John Henley, a Special Olympics Athlete from Marion, Illinois was honored as a Soldier-for-a-Day at Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment based in Marion, Illinois, Oct. 16.

Henley suited up in uniform and was put through training Soldiers go through to stay ready for missions that lie ahead. Henley completed a modified Army Physical Fitness test, weapons training in a simulator, vehicle maintenance,along with squad tactics and a patrol.

"My favorite part was hanging out with the big dogs and shooting," said Henley.

Staff Sgt. Beau Detrick of Marion, Illinois, a recruiter with the Illinois National Guard Recruiting and Retention Command based in Springfield, Illinois, said John Henley has been doing great things for the Special Olympics, not just in Marion but nationwide. "Soldiers are out there training, fighting the Global War on Terror and doing other humanitarian missions, but when we can bring it to the unit level and help out a community hero it is a true honor," said Detrick.

Henley, who visits the armory often, said he enjoys coming to see the Soldiers.

During this visit Maj. Casey Kline of Marion, Illinois presented Henley with a certificate making Henley an honorary member of the 2-130th. At the end of the day Henley was honorarily promoted to sergeant by Kline for his outstanding leadership potential.

Henley said he plans to put the certificate next to his more than 125 Special Olympic medals in his room.

Henley's parents, Richard and Jane, and his girlfriend, Stephanie, along with members of Henley's Special Olympics Team also attended the event to support John as he was put through the training.

"This was a thrill of a lifetime. We know this took some work to make this happen for John and we are very grateful," said Richard Henley, John's father. "It is something we will never forget and something John will never forget."

Grassley Completes Annual 99 County Meetings for 2015

WASHINGTON– Sen. Chuck Grassley today completed his 35th annual 99 county meetings with a question and answer session (Q&A) with the senior class at Greene County High School in Jefferson.

"Representative government is a two-way street.  I'm one half of the process and Iowans are the other half.  Open communication between those of us elected and the people we represent is essential to representative government.  That's why I hold these meetings every year and encourage Iowans to keep in touch with me.  When I hold meetings in Iowa, I like to do a mix of open town meetings along with Q&As with businesses, schools, and service clubs.  That way, I can also talk with people who might not otherwise be able to attend a town meeting," Grassley said.

Grassley has held a meeting in each of Iowa's 99 counties every year since he was elected to the U.S. Senate.  He kicked off this year's meetings in Butler County with a town meeting in Allison on January 3, 2015.

Topics covered in the meetings included everything from the avian flu to ISIS, Social Security to ethanol, and health care to agriculture policy and federal regulations.

For a complete list of Grassley's county meetings in 2015, visit his website here.  To view Grassley's photos and tweets from the meetings, search #99countymeetings on Twitter and Instagram.

Iowans can see if Grassley will be in their area by checking the Grassley events calendar on his website.

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Grassley to Hold Hearing on Historic Sentencing Bill

Witness List

Hearing before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary On

" S. 2123, Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015"

Monday, October 19, 2015

Hart Senate office Building, Room 216

3:00 p.m.

Panel I

The Honorable Sally Quillian Yates

Deputy Attorney General

United States Department of Justice

Washington, DC

Panel II

The Honorable Michael Mukasey

Former Attorney General

United States Department of Justice

Partner

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

New York, NY

Mr. Hilary O. Shelton

Washington Bureau Director

Senior Vice President for Policy and Advocacy

NAACP

Washington, DC

The Honorable Brett L. Tolman

Former United States Attorney for the District of Utah

Shareholder

Ray Quinney & Nebeker PC

Salt Lake City, UT

Mr. Steven Cook

President

National Association of Assistant United States Attorneys

Assistant United States Attorney

United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee

Knoxville, TN

Mr. Marc Mauer

Executive Director

The Sentencing Project

Washington, DC

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Judiciary Chairmen: Criminal Immigrants Allowed to Reenter Country Pose 'Serious Problem'

WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte are raising new questions about decisions to release immigrants with long rap-sheets who repeatedly reenter the country following deportation.

In a letter today to Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, the lawmakers are seeking details related to the release of Luis Golberto-Molina, a fugitive who reportedly has nine prior felony and 11 prior misdemeanor charges.  Golberto-Molina was arrested while attempting to illegally reenter the country for a fifth time, but was released from custody despite efforts to extradite him to Colorado for a 14-year-old felony warrant.

"This case shows the serious problem of criminal aliens who reenter this country repeatedly.  As was the case in Kate Steinle's murder, this fugitive alien reentered the country five times, but was subsequently released," the lawmakers said in their letter to Johnson.

The Senate will soon be voting to take up legislation to target criminal immigrants who have previously been deported and illegally reenter the country.  The legislation also seeks to improve cooperation between federal immigration authorities and state and local law enforcement to ensure that people who illegally enter the country and commit serious crimes are brought to justice.

The full text of the Grassley-Goodlatte letter

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