GRANTHAM, PA (01/14/2014)(readMedia)-- Bettendorf resident Allison Campbell was named to the dean's list for the 2013 fall semester at Messiah College. Campbell is a junior majoring in psychology. Dean's list is earned by receiving a 3.6 GPA or higher on a 4.0 scale.

Messiah College, a private Christian college of the liberal and applied arts and sciences, enrolls over 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Established in 1909, the primary campus is located in Grantham, Pa., near the state capital of Harrisburg.

Prepared Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa

Ranking Member, Senate Committee on the Judiciary

"The Report of the President's Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies"

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Mr. Chairman, thank you for holding this hearing.  I join you in welcoming the members of the President's Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies.

This is the latest in a series of hearings on the government's surveillance authorities that the Committee has held.  The NSA continues to be of great concern to my constituents and many across our country.

The most important responsibility of government is to protect our national security, while at the same time preserving our civil liberties.  This is a responsibility that's getting harder to meet.  Rapid changes in technology are making our enemies more lethal, our world more interconnected, and our privacy more subject to possible intrusion.

Under these circumstances, it's useful to hear a variety of perspectives, including from those outside government.  I thank the members of the Review Group for their service.

Some of the conclusions in the Review Group's report may help clarify the issues before us as we consider possible reforms.

First, according to the report, "although recent disclosures and commentary have created the impression in some quarters that NSA surveillance is indiscriminate and pervasive across the globe, that is not the case."  Moreover, the report concludes, "we have not uncovered any official efforts to suppress dissent or any intent to intrude into people's private lives without legal justification."

None of this means that the potential for abuse of these authorities shouldn't concern us.  It should.  Or that the NSA hasn't made serious mistakes.  Or that the law in this area couldn't be improved.  Indeed, there's a place for additional transparency, safeguards and oversight in this area. But these conclusions are helpful in clarifying the issues before us.

Second, the report recommends that "the national security of the United States depends on the continued capacity of NSA and other agencies to collect essential information.  In considering proposals for reform, now and for the future, policymakers should avoid the risk of overreaction and take care in making changes that could undermine the   capabilities of the Intelligence Community."  This seems like good advice.

One recommendation that may reflect this advice is the Review Group's proposal to preserve the government's controversial ability to query telephone metadata, but with some changes.

One of those recommended changes is that private entities hold the metadata.  This is an interesting idea perhaps worth investigating.  But I'm concerned that it may create as many privacy problems as it solves.  Indeed, private companies seem to be allowing their customers' information to be hacked on what seems like a daily basis.

Just as importantly, I'm concerned that in other instances the Review Group may not have followed its own advice.  Some of its other recommendations may seriously threaten our national security, especially if adopted collectively.

For example, some of the recommendations in the report appear to make it more difficult to investigate a terrorist than a common criminal.

Some appear to extend the rights of Americans to foreigners without a good reason.

And some appear to rebuild the wall between our law enforcement and national security communities that existed before September 11, 2001.  Of course, that wall helped contribute to our inability to detect and thwart the attack on that day.  Thousands died as a result.

I don't mean to criticize the effort or intentions of the Review Group.  But I'm concerned that the group was given such a relatively short time to do their work.  As a result, for example, I understand the group spent only one day at the NSA.

I'm also concerned that the group lacked some important perspectives.  For example, none of its members has any experience supervising terrorism investigations at the Department of Justice or the FBI.

And I'm concerned that the group produced a large number of recommendations, but didn't develop many of them fully.

As the Review Group wrote, its recommendations "will require careful assessment by a wide range of relevant officials, with close reference to the likely consequences."  I look forward to beginning that process today, and again welcome our witnesses.

Omnibus spending bill restores across the board cuts to Senior Nutrition Programs

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack today announced that the omnibus appropriations bill that was recently introduced contains funding to reverse the across the board cuts, known as sequestration, for Senior Nutrition Programs. Meals on Wheels and other nutrition assistance programs faced a $46 million cut in the past year due to sequestration. The spending bill will restore funding to the pre-sequester level.

Loebsack spearheaded efforts in the House of Representatives to secure this restoration of funding for Senior Nutrition Programs. He led a bipartisan group of nearly 50 members in urging the Budget Conference Committee to reverse the harmful sequestration related cuts and reinstate the lifeline to our elderly population.

"Millions of Americans depend on the lifeline these meals provide. The across the board cuts have had a direct impact on the well-being of our most vulnerable, frail and isolated seniors," said Congressman Dave Loebsack. "I was proud to spearhead this effort and pleased to see that these cuts were restored. We have to continue to meet the needs of our aging population and provide this important assistance so seniors can live with independence and dignity."

"Due in large part to Congressman Loebsack's tireless efforts to lead and advocate for our nation's most vulnerable and hungry seniors, the devastating sequester cuts to Older Americans Act Nutrition Programs may soon be fully restored," said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of the Meals On Wheels Association of America "We are immensely grateful to the Congressman for being a champion for senior nutrition at a time when the need has never been greater, and for recognizing that Meals on Wheels not only improves lives and but it saves taxpayer dollars."

The text of the bipartisan letter can be found here.

DES MOINES - Today, the Des Moines Airport Authority Board delayed making a decision on a contract with Pro-Tec Fire Services for firefighting services at Des Moines International Airport.

Currently, the Iowa Air National Guard provides firefighting and EMS services at Des Moines International Airport through highly trained state employees who are part of the Iowa Department of Public Defense. On September 30, 2014, these services will end due to a change in the mission tasking of the Air National Guard airbase at the airport. As a result, the Des Moines Airport Authority Board must find another way to provide firefighting services at the airport.

"The Airport Authority Board is considering hiring a for-profit company that will provide only minimal emergency services. The Airport Authority's Request for Proposal included staffing requirements that are insufficient to meet OSHA requirements and National Fire Protection Association staffing and interior firefighting safety standards," said AFSCME Iowa Council 61 President Danny Homan.

"The company that the Airport Authority Board is considering, Pro-Tec Fire Services, has a troubled history. According to reports in The Times (Trenton, New Jersey), Pro-Tec did not issue notifications when equipment was out of service, fell behind on training, paid low wages, and had high employee turnover at Trenton Mercer Airport in New Jersey. Pro-Tec also paid low wages at the MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Illinois, according to the Belleville News-Democrat," added Homan.

"The firefighters/medics currently at Des Moines International Airport have saved lives by responding to medical emergencies at the airport. The airport has a huge footprint of over 2,600 acres. The Des Moines Fire Department cannot guarantee that they will be able to respond to fire and medical emergencies at the airport in an adequate time frame. Outsourcing fire and EMS services at the airport would put lives at risk," added Homan.

"The current firefighters/medics at the Airport have extensive training in crash fire and rescue and in emergency medical response. The Des Moines Airport Authority Board should recognize that these firefighters/medics' training and experience are an asset that should be utilized," added Homan.

"Des Moines International Airport has recently experienced great growth in the number of passengers it serves. As the airport grows, it should not lose its commitment to safety. We call on the Airport Authority Board to reject the proposed contract with Pro-Tec Fire Services at their next meeting. The Airport Authority should instead pursue a course that maintains current services using the current well-trained firefighters/medics as public employees," added Homan.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON PRO-TEC FIRE SERVICES FROM NEWSPAPER REPORTS:

Pro-Tec did not issue notifications when equipment was out of service. The Times (Trenton, NJ) reported in May 2000 that "Another issue about Pro-Tec has come to the fore in recent interviews: whether notices to airmen (NOTAMs) were issued as required by FAA regulations when fire trucks were out of commission. West, who has worked at Trenton Mercer for two years, said that NOTAMs need only be issued if 24 hours pass and no replacement vehicle is in place. But FAA rules state that a NOTAM must be issued immediately if a truck is out of service, even if only for a few hours for something as simple as an oil change, Peters said. The airport should also temporarily reduce its index, which refers to what size aircraft can be handled by firefighters at the airport. According to Russer, to avoid needing a NOTAM, chemicals for firefighting were transferred to another truck to maintain the ability to handle emergencies. But the truck had no equipment to dispense the chemicals. Barlow, who said he performed mechanical work when he worked for Pro-Tec in the mid-'90s, said trucks were regularly out of commission at the time, yet no NOTAMs were issued. The former Pro-Tec fire official who spoke anonymously said there may have been times when NOTAMs should have been issued and were not. The issue is a gray area, he said." [The Times (Trenton, NJ), 5/13/2000]

Pro-Tec promised additional training to get a contract renewal. The Times (Trenton, NJ) reported in June 2001 that "[County Administrator John] Ricci said the bid won by Pro-Tec, the lowest of three submitted, required that the firefighters get the additional training." [The Times (Trenton, NJ), 6/8/2001]

But when airport officials followed up, the training had not been completed. The Times (Trenton, NJ) reported in June 2001 that "airport officials found some employees were deficient when they asked them for their credentials, he [Ricci] said." [The Times (Trenton, NJ), 6/8/2001]

At Trenton Mercer Airport, Pro-Tec paid low wages and was ending health benefits. In April 2000, The Times (Trenton, NJ) reported in April 2000 that "Board members were upset to hear Skinner and Russer talk about an hourly salary of $7.97, with the company pulling all medical benefits on March 1, although few employees companywide used them." [The Times (Trenton, NJ), 4/26/2000]

At Trenton Mercer Airport, there was 75 percent turnover in five years and equipment was in poor condition. In April 2000, The Times (Trenton, NJ) reported that "also, they were upset to hear from West of 75 percent turnover in personnel since 1995, and that the larger of two fire trucks, built around 1984, needed work on a broken turret, which directs foam on a fire." [The Times (Trenton, NJ), 4/26/2000]

In 2001, Pro-Tec paid employees in Illinois low wages. The Belleville News-Democrat reported in February 2001 that "currently, firefighters [employed by Pro-Tec Fire Services at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport] earn $8.09 an hour, while captains earn $8.99 an hour." [Belleville News-Democrat, 2/28/2001]