Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today made the following statement on his inquiry of the Federal Communications Commission's handling of the LightSquared wireless project.  Today is the one-year anniversary of Grassley's first letter to the agency on its decision-making regarding the project.

"Exactly one year ago today, I wrote my first letter to the FCC on LightSquared.  At that time, headlines were describing interference concerns between LightSquared and Global Positioning System devices.  LightSquared's primary backer was in the news over having attracted the Securities and Exchange Commission's attention.  I wondered why the FCC had given expedited preliminary approval to a project led by someone under SEC investigation and with seemingly serious interference concerns.  I began seeking the FCC's insight into its decision-making on this project.  The agency turned out to be among the least responsive I've ever come across in 30 years of conducting constitutional oversight of the executive branch of government.  The commission suggested my staff go through the Freedom of Information Act and said it would take two years to get a response.  The commissioner told me the commission responds only to the chairmen of the two House and Senate committees of jurisdiction.  In effect, that leaves 99.6 percent of Congress out of luck if we have questions about the agency's decision-making.

"As I began my investigation, facts came to light that raised more questions about the FCC's actions.  E-mails showed that LightSquared's CEO sought meetings with the White House while mentioning attendance at fundraisers for President Obama.  Then, news reports showed the White House pressured a four-star general to downplay the threat LightSquared posed to GPS.

"I continued to seek the information on the general principle that the public's business ought to be public.  The FCC continued to stonewall, so I placed a hold on two FCC commissioner nominees in an effort to get the information I requested.  Still, the agency stonewalled.

"House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans made a comprehensive document request of the FCC on LightSquared and are giving me access to the documents as the agency provides them.  I appreciate the access.

"At first, the documents were evasively superficial.  The submissions contained thousands of pages of already public information, including news clips.  The FCC played games to inflate its page count, which is not the mark of a responsive agency.  Gradually, the document submissions began to include some substantive information.

"So far, the documents I have seen begin to give some answers about why the FCC gave such fast preliminary approval to LightSquared.  The documents show that rather than being an objective arbiter, the commission appeared to be enthusiastic about the LightSquared project and wanted to see it materialize.  The prospect of a new broadband provider that could challenge current providers was appealing to the FCC, according to the documents.  It's impossible to draw a complete picture of the FCC's considerations in green-lighting LightSquared because the documents available so far do not offer a comprehensive view.  However, it appears the FCC wanted LightSquared to succeed.

"It may be that the FCC was so intrigued by the prospect of a new broadband provider that it overlooked technical concerns or the financial implications if the project's chief investor were to undergo SEC sanctions.  I can't say for sure because I don't have enough information to make a determination.

"However, the documents raise an important question.  Is the FCC a neutral arbiter weighing all public interests in each case, or is it a cheerleader for favored projects?  If it is a cheerleader, which is inappropriate, why was such an obviously flawed project selected?

"The documents I've seen so far raise more questions than I had before.  However, since there is now a process in place to obtain all of the relevant documents from the FCC, I intend to lift my hold on the two FCC nominees.  But my inquiry is not over.  I'm told there are 11,000 more pages of documents from the FCC on LightSquared that will be forthcoming to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.  I look forward to receiving access to those documents.

"The public deserves definitive answers on why the FCC handled LightSquared the way it did.  Ultimately, the agency decided the GPS interference concerns were too great and withdrew LightSquared's waiver.  LightSquared's primary investor continues to receive intense scrutiny from the SEC.  Now, LightSquared might sue the government.  Investment is lost, and future investors might be reluctant to approach the FCC with projects.

"The FCC badly mishandled LightSquared.  Finding out exactly what went wrong is key toward preventing future debacles.  I hope the pending nominees, and the rest of the commission, will use the LightSquared situation as a case study in what not to do.

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack today released the following statement after the House voted on Republican-led legislation, which the President has already stated he will veto, to try and look as if they are concerned about college accessibility.

"Today's vote is a shining example of how low Republicans will go to further their political games instead of actually accomplishing anything for Iowa families.  Just last week Republicans voted en mass to allow the student loan interest rates to double, and now hide behind a vote on a bill they know is going nowhere.  Iowa families can't afford these games.  Unfortunately, it looks as if Republicans want to push students to the edge, just like they did with the economy. As much as Republicans would like, they can't have their cake and eat it too.

"As someone who has helped craft and pass legislation to expand access to college, it is sickening to watch this unfold.  Congress should not be building more hurdles for young people to get the education and skills they need to thrive, and they should not be making it even harder for Iowa families to afford to send their kids to college.  I personally know what it is like to work hard and rely on financial aid to pay for tuition.  No student should be turned away from attending college because he or she cannot afford it and no student should have to face a Republican-made roadblock, which is exactly what today's vote creates."

Loebsack is a cosponsor of two pieces of legislation, H.R. 4816 and H.R. 3826, which would ensure the increase does not occur.  As a member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, he has also championed numerous pieces of legislation to increase access to higher education, including:

·         College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA) Loebsack helped craft and pass this legislation, which makes college more affordable and accessible for all Iowans by increasing the maximum Pell Grant scholarship and expanding eligibility;

·         Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, H.R. 3221 Loebsack was a cosponsor of this bill, which will save American taxpayers $61 billion by making the student loan process more efficient.  The bill further expanded the maximum Pell Grant available from $5,550 in 2010 to $5,975 in 2017, granting Iowa students more than $291 million for higher education. This bill was the largest single investment in student aid in America's history, and will make college more accessible, transform the way student loan programs operate and strengthen community colleges.

Loebsack has urged the House Speaker and the Chairman of the Education and the Workforce Committee to move forward a bill that will actually stop the increase.  A copy of the letter can be found here.

Washington, DC - Congressman Bobby Schilling (IL-17) today voted in favor of a bill to prevent a scheduled July 1 hike in interest rates on Stafford student loans.  Under a 2007 law, the interest rate on these subsidized loans to undergraduate students was decreased from 6.8% to 3.4% through June 30, at which time under the law the interest rates will increase.  Without Congressional action, these interest rates will return to previous levels and double on July 1.

"As a parent, the increasing cost of tuition and students' mounting debt are serious problems to me," Schilling said.  "Also serious is the fact that once kids graduate from college, they enter a tough job market where about half of them are left jobless or are underemployed, in addition to starting out thousands of dollars in the hole.  Washington should work to ensure that all Americans, including these young men and women, have the opportunity to succeed, and that our economy is growing and creating new jobs for them to pursue."

To pay for the $6 billion, one-year extension, H.R. 4628, the Interest Rate Reduction Act, cuts from a program in the Administration's health care reform law that has been criticized as a 'slush fund' with little oversight or purpose.  Already signed into law is bipartisan legislation that takes money from the fund, and President Obama's Fiscal Year 2013 budget also proposed cutting it by more than $4 billion.  Schilling joined 214 Republicans and Democrats in supporting low interest rates for students.

"This bill will keep student loan rates low without raising taxes on the folks we are asking to lead us into economic recovery and give these kids jobs," Schilling said.  "I urge the Senate to act on this, and to move on the more than 25 House-passed jobs bills sitting in the Senate that will cut wasteful spending and help businesses grow and hire new employees, providing more hope for our unemployed friends, neighbors, and recent graduates."

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DES MOINES, Iowa - A Davenport woman was casually scratching her "Pinball" ticket while waiting for her change and discovered she'd won a top prize of $10,000.

Nita Aurthur, 49, said she couldn't believe what she was seeing when she won. She asked the clerk at Kwik Shop, 2805 Telegraph Road in Davenport to double-check for her.

"He told me to use the checker, and my hands were shaking I was so nervous," Aurthur said. "Then it said, 'Congratulations!'"

Aurthur said a few weeks ago, one of her friends had won a $100 prize playing Pinball, so she was curious about playing the game herself. She said she's not sure it has really hit her yet.

"It probably won't until I get the money in my hands," Aurthur said as she claimed her prize April 19 at the Iowa Lottery's regional office in Cedar Rapids.

Aurthur said she told her family about her big win.

"At first my mom said, 'You're joking!' But now she believes me," she said.

Aurthur, who's the kitchen manager at Jersey Ridge Assisting Living in Davenport, said she plans to use some of her winnings to pay bills.

Pinball is a $2 scratch game. Players win a prize by matching any of the "target numbers" with either of the "pinball numbers" to win the prize shown for that number. If players find a "lightning bolt" symbol, they win that prize instantly. The overall odds for winning a prize in the game are 1 in 3.82.

Eleven top prizes of $10,000 are still up for grabs in Pinball, as well as 95 prizes of $500 and more than 720 prizes of $100.

Players can enter eligible nonwinning scratch tickets online to earn "Points For Prizes™" points. The point value will be revealed to the player on the website upon successful submission of each eligible valid ticket. There is a limit of 30 ticket entries per day. To participate in Points For Prizes™, a player must register for a free account at ialottery.com. Registration is a one-time process. Merchandise that can be ordered by using points will be listed on the website in the Points For Prizes™ online store. Players can choose from items in categories such as apparel, automotive, jewelry, sporting, tools and more.

Since the lottery's start in 1985, its players have won more than $2.8 billion in prizes while the lottery has raised more than $1.3 billion for the state programs that benefit all Iowans.

Today, lottery proceeds in Iowa have three main purposes: They provide support for veterans, help for a variety of significant projects through the state General Fund, and backing for the Vision Iowa program, which was implemented to create tourism destinations and community attractions in the state and build and repair schools.