WASHINGTON - Chuck Grassley today said that that he will be holding meetings in 25 counties from March 29 - April 6. 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 important insight directly from Iowans," Grassley said. "Holding a meeting in each of Iowa's 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 Allamakee, Buchanan, Butler, Cerro Gordo, Clay, Clayton, Dallas, Delaware, Dickinson, Dubuque, Emmet, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Hancock, Howard, Kossuth, Lyon, Mitchell, Osceola, Palo Alto, Warren, Winnebago, Winneshiek and Worth.

Grassley will hold town hall meetings in Aplington, Calmar, Cresco, Estherville, Forest City, Garner, Independence, Indianola, Manchester, Mason City, Northwood, Ocheydan, Rock Rapids, Strawberry Point, Waukee, Waukon, West Bend and West Union.

He will tour and meet with employees at Eaton Manufacturing in Spencer. He will also attend a ribbon cutting for the new Hormel Foods Plant in Dubuque.

He will meet with students at St. Ansgar Community High School in St. Ansgar, Charles City High School in Charles City and Harris-Lake Park Middle/High School in Lake Park.  In addition, he will speak with the Algona Rotary in Algona, and will meet with members of the Chamber of Commerce in Hampton.

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

Monday, March 29, 2010

7:30 - 8:30 a.m.- hold Warren County Town Hall Meeting, Warren County Administration Building, Board Room, Second Floor, 301 North Buxton Street, Indianola

9:30 - 10:30 a.m.- hold Dallas County Town Hall Meeting, Maple Street Community Center, 445 Maple Street, Waukee

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

8:30 - 9:30 a.m.- hold Buchanan County Town Hall Meeting, Buchanan County Courthouse, Assembly Room, 210 5th Avenue NE, Independence

Noon - 1:45 p.m.- Attend Hormel Foods Plant Ribbon Cutting, Progressive Processing, LLC, 1205 Chavenelle Court, Dubuque

3 - 4 p.m. - hold Delaware County Town Hall Meeting, Regional Medical Center, Veterans Memorial Event Center, Third Floor, 709 West Main Street, Manchester

4:45 - 5:45 p.m.- hold Clayton County Town Hall Meeting, Strawberry Point Public Library, 401 Commercial Street, Strawberry Point

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

7:30 - 8:30 a.m. - hold Fayette County Town Hall Meeting, Fayette County Courthouse, Assembly Room, 114 North Vine Street, West Union

9:45 - 10:45 a.m. - hold Allamakee County Town Hall Meeting, Farmers & Merchants Savings Bank, Community Room, 201 West Main Street, Waukon

Noon - 1 p.m. - hold Winneshiek County Town Hall Meeting, Calmar Public Library, Community Room, 101 South Washington Street, Calmar

2:15 - 3:15 p.m. - hold Howard County Town Hall Meeting, Cresco Bank and Trust, Community Room, 126 Second Avenue SE, Cresco

5:30 - 6:30 p.m. - hold Worth County Town Hall Meeting, Worth County Courthouse, Magistrate Room, 1000 Central Avenue, Northwood

Thursday, April 1, 2010

7:30 - 8:30 a.m. - hold Cerro Gordo County Town Hall Meeting, North Iowa Area Community College, Muse-Norris Conference Center, Rooms 180 A, B and C, 500 College Drive, Mason City

9:45 - 10:45 a.m. visit St. Ansgar Community High School, 206 East 8th Street, St. Ansgar

Noon - 1:15 p.m. - visit Charles City High School, #1 Comet Drive, Charles City

2:30 - 3:30 p.m. - Deliver keynote speech and answer questions at the Hampton Chamber Spring Meeting, Windsor Theatre, 103 Federal Street North, Hampton

4:30 - 5:30 p.m. - hold Butler County Town Hall Meeting, Aplington Community Center, Corner of 10th Street and Parriott Street, Aplington

Monday, April 5, 2010

8 - 9 a.m. - hold Winnebago County Town Hall Meeting, Winnebago County Courthouse, Courtroom, 126 South Clark Street, Forest City

9:45 - 10:45 a.m. - hold Hancock County Town Hall Meeting, Garner Education Center, 325 West 8th Street, Garner

Noon - 1 p.m. - speak with Algona Rotary, Algona Country Club, 400 Country Club Road, Algona

2 - 3 p.m. - hold Palo Alto County Town Hall Meeting, West Bend Golf Course, Club House, 4829 580th Avenue, West Bend

4:30 - 5:30 p.m. - hold Emmet County Town Hall Meeting, Iowa Lakes Community College, Auditorium, Room 16, 300 South 18th Street, Estherville

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

7:30 - 8:30 a.m. - Tour and answer questions from employees at Eaton Manufacturing, Power Division, Hydraulics Business, 803 32nd Avenue West, Spencer

9:30 - 10:30 a.m. - Visit Harris-Lake Park High School, Harris-Lake Park Middle/High School, 905 South Market, Lake Park

Noon - 1 p.m. - Hold Osceola County Town Hall Meeting, Senior Activities Center, 845 Main Street, Ocheydan

2:45 - 3:45 p.m. - Hold Lyon County Town Hall Meeting, US Bank, Community Room, 203 South 2nd Avenue, Rock Rapids

***Senator Grassley will be available for 15 minutes to the press following each of these events. Grassley is a guest of the service clubs, schools, businesses and events. Please contact those organizations with any questions about availability during those meetings.

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Grassley Urges Japan to Address Trade Barriers to U.S. Beef and Gelatin;

Insurance, Banking, and Express Delivery Services

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Committee on Finance, with Sen. Max Baucus, chairman, today urged the Japanese government to remove scientifically unfounded barriers to U.S. beef and bovine-origin gelatin imports and the preferential treatment that Japan Post entities have received in Japan's insurance, banking, and express delivery markets at the expense of private sector competitors.

"Millions of Americans eat U.S. beef every day without any health problems," Grassley said.  "The scientific evidence put forward by international arbiters confirms the safety of U.S. beef.  Also, Japan continues to block exports of U.S. bovine-origin gelatin, most of which is produced in Iowa, although this product is safe.  Every country that enjoys the benefits of international trade is obligated to follow the rules, whether the issue is product safety or fair competition in the financial services sector."

Grassley and Baucus sent a letter to the Japanese ambassador to the United States.  The text of their letter follows.  The Committee on Finance has jurisdiction over international trade.

March 16, 2010

Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki

Embassy of Japan

2520 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C.  20008

Dear Ambassador Fujisaki:

We are writing with regard to certain long-standing barriers imposed by Japan to imports of U.S. goods and services.

Japan continues to place restrictions on imports of U.S. beef due to alleged concerns about bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) that are scientifically unwarranted.  The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) determined in 2007 that U.S. beef derived from cattle of all ages is safe due to safeguards undertaken by the United States.  Moreover, millions of Americans consume U.S. beef from cattle of all ages every day, so the safety of this product cannot seriously be in doubt.  Yet Japan still limits imports of U.S. beef to beef from animals aged twenty months or younger.  This scientifically unfounded barrier to imports of U.S. beef is causing economic hardship for cattle and beef producers in Montana and Iowa.  We urge Japan to base its beef trade policies on science and to open its market to all U.S. beef.

Also citing BSE concerns, Japan has prohibited imports of U.S.-produced bovine-origin gelatin for human consumption since 2004.  Japan's policy is at direct odds with OIE recommendations, which provide that this U.S. product can be traded safely.  The Japanese ban on imports of this bovine product is negatively impacting Montana and Iowa cattle producers, and it has led to job losses in Iowa's gelatin manufacturing sector.  We urge Japan to lift its scientifically unjustified prohibition on imports of U.S.-produced bovine-origin gelatin for human consumption.

Finally, we understand that Japan is in the final stages of drafting legislation on Japan Post to submit to the Diet.  We have long been concerned about the preferential treatment that Japan Post entities have received in Japan's insurance, banking, and express delivery markets and the negative impact of that treatment on Japan Post's private sector competitors.  We urge Japan to address these concerns in its legislation so that U.S. and other private sector suppliers receive the equal treatment that Japan's international obligations require.

We look forward to improved economic relations between the United States and Japan once these serious trade concerns are resolved.

Sincerely,

In the closing two weeks of session, Iowa's budget problems will take center stage.  The Revenue Estimating Conference's March prediction included $33 million more in revenue coming to the state than their previous December estimate.  Though this can be seen as a sign Iowa's economy has seen its worst days, the additional revenue will not be enough to make up the nearly half a billion dollar hole.

Funding education will be the one overriding budget item which will foster aggressive discourse in the Legislature.  Politicians should engage in aggressive debate over poor decision making practices which resulted in unfunded mandates, unfunded per-pupil promises, unfunded allowable growth and the play of politicians which resulted in this mess.  Politicians created the problem, and politicians should have a healthy debate on how to fix the problem.

If the 10% across-the-board cut is not backfilled and allowable growth is not funded the cost will fall back on local property tax payers.  Money was promised to school districts which was never provided.  Many of you are noticing your local school boards begin to make the difficult decisions of how to fund schools without promised state dollars.  State law requires school districts to ratify their budgets by April 15th and to publish them thirty days prior for public review.  School districts can't wait any longer for funds which the state spoiled away.  They are now facing the difficult task of turning to local property tax payers to keep schools functioning.

Rather than waiting for the state legislature, school districts in Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Ankeny and Clinton have already approved substantial tax levy increases.

Last Thursday a new problem in education popped up:  One time stimulus dollars were used to offer additional pay to teachers for training.  Since the Governor's 10% across-the-board cut also cut this teacher quality pay, school boards found they are now on the hook for this pay as well.  Many school districts were notified of this issue after they certified their budgets.  The full breadth these two problems results in nearly $330 million in unfunded mandates falling to the local level by raising property taxes.

Understanding how Physical Plant and Equipment Levy or PPEL, allowable growth, property tax levies, the state sales tax and the 10% across-the-board cut all factor into this problem can be a task in itself.  And I applaud local youth for writing to me on the issue.  I have received many letters from youth frustrated with the fact that programs like art and music may be cut, as well as teacher positions.  I always encourage young Iowans to get involved in government at a local level and I want to thank them for these letters and I strongly encourage their questions and comments.

Another discussion on the Senate floor sparked intense debate this past week.  One section in the Government Reorganization Bill allowed for the sale and lease-back of state owned buildings.  An amendment to ban the authorization of this practice in the future by the Governor and Legislature failed.  It was passed as a way to offer "management flexibility."  This practice has nearly bankrupt New Mexico.

In closing, I received a message on Thursday in a fortune cookie which read, "If a lobbyist asks you to sponsor an amendment which has already failed twice - Run!"

Shawn Hamerlinck
State Senate 42^nd District