Thursday, April 26, 202

Senator Chuck Grassley, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, made the following statement after the committee passed "The Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012."  Grassley is one of the only working family farmers in the United States Senate.  Grassley voted for the bill.

The Chairwoman's legislation that was debated in the Agriculture Committee contained the most important parts of Grassley's efforts to limit farm program payments to small- and mid-size farmers.  The legislation that cleared the committee will limit farm payments under the proposed new commodity program to $50,000 for individuals and $100,000 for married couples.  The bill also includes a provision to begin closing the loopholes that allow people who aren't involved in farming to collect farm payments.  The provision prevents non-farmers from being able to use the management loophole in current law.  A person who doesn't provide labor for the farming operation will still be able to qualify for farm payments by helping manage the farm.  However, there can only be one individual per farming operation qualifying for payments based solely on their providing management.  This provision will help the Department of Agriculture crack down on the general partnerships that have multiple non-farmers trying to qualify for farm payments by exploiting the management loophole.  This will end some of the most egregious abuses of the farm program.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Senator Chuck Grassley released the following statement after a Seattle-based CBS television station revealed alarming information that Secret Service agents may have paid for escorts while working in El Salvador in advance of the President's trip to the country in March 2011.  Grassley is the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee which has jurisdiction over the Secret Service.

Happy Joe's Celebrates its 40th Anniversary 11/16/12.  We have just established The Happy Joe's Kids Foundation.  This foundation will  be dedicated to helping children with special needs and their families.  Watch for details on a huge event at the iWireless Center in Moline, IL to be held 11/20/12 where Happy Joe's will host a Special needs conference dedicated to our cause.  It will include a breakfast, vendor show, luncheon and special needs dance party!  We have many surprises in the works and are extremely excited.  We plan to make this a legacy event. 

Go to www.happyjoeskids.org to learn more.  The site is still somewhat under construction but will be updated with new details on a regular basis from now until our event.  Joe Whitty, Kristel Whitty Ersan and Larry Whitty will all be available for interviews regarding this foundation and Happy Joe's 40th Anniversary. You may contact Kristel Whitty- Ersan at 563-650-4680 with any questions you may have.

Submits statement to House Ways and Means Committee calling for action to avoid uncertainty

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack today joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in calling on the House Ways and Means Committee to include a renewal of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) for renewable energy in upcoming tax legislation. As a cosponsor of the American Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit Extension Act of 2011, Loebsack has pushed to end the current uncertainty caused by the approaching expiration of the credit and bring attention to the wind energy industry in Iowa.  He has visited numerous wind industry facilities throughout Iowa that create good jobs in the state and promote economic development.

"The wind industry is creating thousands of jobs across the country, supporting the work of hundreds of wind?related manufacturing facilities, and offering lease payments to thousands of farmers," the Congressmen expressed to the Ways and Means Committee leadership. "The uncertainty caused by the looming expiration of the credit is already hampering future industry growth. Given our expanding but still fragile economy, now is not the time to undermine these substantial public and private investments."

Earlier this year, Loebsack wrote to House Speaker John Boehner calling for action on the renewal of the PTC for wind energy.  A copy of the statement Loebsack and a bipartisan group of his colleagues submitted to the Ways and Means Committee for the hearing today, is below.

April 26, 2012

The Honorable Pat Tiberi

Chairman

U.S. House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures

106 Cannon House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Richard Neal

Ranking Member

U.S. House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures

2208 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Tiberi and Ranking Member Neal:

As you evaluate tax provisions that either expired in 2011 or will expire in 2012, we write to highlight our belief that extension of the production tax credit is firmly in the national interest and a vital component of America's future competitiveness and we urge its inclusion the next available piece of tax legislation.

The wind industry is creating thousands of jobs across the country, supporting the work of hundreds of wind?related manufacturing facilities, and offering lease payments to thousands of farmers and ranchers. Thirty?eight states have utility?scale wind projects, powering more than 12 million homes. Wind energy drives the diversification of our energy supply and strengthens our resilience to energy related challenges, while improving our national energy security. Additionally, the more than 40,000 megawatts of wind power installed through 2010 annually avoids 83.5 million tons of carbon pollution.

The production tax credit, which enjoys broad support across regions and across the political spectrum, has underwritten many of these developments. In fact, there is a strong correlation to industry growth and the existence of the credit. In years following expiration of the credit, for instance, installations dropped between 79?93%, resulting in major job losses and lost opportunities. The uncertainty caused by the looming expiration of the credit is already hampering future industry growth. Given our expanding but still fragile economy, now is not the time to undermine these substantial public and private investments.

Thank you for your careful consideration of this incentive.

Sincerely,

 Dave Loebsack