WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today joined a group of Republican senators in urging President Obama to submit the pending trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea to Congress for a vote.  Grassley said the United States has fallen behind other countries in implementing trade agreements and negotiating potential new trade agreements, calling that unacceptable when so many Americans need jobs and trade supports jobs in the United States.

"Nothing has been done and the United States is losing its leadership in what we've done for 60 years in world trade, leading the rest of the world," Grassley said.  "The status quo has to end.  The United States has to re-assume its leadership.  And that's not only for the benefit of the United States.  That's for the benefit of expanding the world economic pie."

Just a few years ago, under a different White House, the Senate passed implementing legislation for free trade agreements with 13 countries (Australia, Bahrain, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Morocco, Nicaragua, Oman, Singapore, Peru), Grassley said. The current White House has not initiated any new trade agreements.  While this White House is engaged in negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, that's a carryover from the prior Administration, he said.

Grassley is a senior member and former chairman and ranking member of the Finance Committee, with jurisdiction over international trade.

Video of Grassley's remarks at today's news conference is available here.

Populist Caucus Members Urge Obama to Include Infrastructure Bank in Job Creation Plan

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) called on President Obama to invest in our nation's infrastructure by developing a National Infrastructure Bank.  In a letter to the President, Rep. Braley urged the President to include the development of an Infrastructure Bank as part of his job creation plan he will be unveiling next week.  Four other members of the Populist Caucus signed the letter to the President.  The Populist Caucus has been advocating for the development of a National Infrastructure Bank for over a year and a half.  In February 2010, the Caucus endorsed legislation introduced by Vice Chair Rosa DeLauro to create a National Infrastructure Bank.

"A National Infrastructure Bank would create jobs and improve our country's aging infrastructure" said Rep. Braley.  "This plan would leverage both public and private dollars to improve our roads, bridges, tunnels and watersystems, creating jobs all across the country.  The plan also has a diverse coalition of support that includes both the business and labor communities.  It makes sense for the President to include this public-private partnership as part of his job creation plan."

A copy of the letter, which was signed by Rep. Rosa DeLauro, Rep. John Yarmuth, Rep. Mazie Hirono and Rep. Peter Welch, is pasted below and available here: http://go.usa.gov/0YF

Group of Budget Experts Will Recommend Steps to Implement Budgeting for Results; Bring Greater Accountability and Transparency to Budget Process  

CHICAGO - August 22, 2011. In a key step in reforming the state's budget process, a commission named by Governor Quinn held its first meeting Friday in Chicago to help guide the implementation of Budgeting for Results. Enacted last year by the General Assembly, Budgeting for Results (BFR) is a tool to help government agencies set priorities, meet goals, deliver excellent services and achieve the best value possible to taxpayers.  

"Budgeting for Results represents a major step toward smarter, more transparent government and greater accountability across all agencies," Governor Quinn said. "This commission will help Illinois deliver essential services in the most efficient, effective way possible, and ensure that taxpayers are getting the results from government they expect and deserve."  

Private business has long employed a similar management model to improve performance through clearly defining and aligning objectives across organizations. Rather than setting budgets for each agency separately and based on historical funding levels, BFR allocates scarce resources based on government-wide goals. BFR calls on every agency of government to make the case for its budget each year measured in terms of its success delivering results and value to the people of Illinois. The budgeting shift will encourage innovation and performance among agencies, and allow taxpayers to see the true impact of their tax dollars.   

For the fiscal year 2012 budget, the first year of BFR, agencies and departments were required to justify budget requests based on results achieved in the following priority areas set by the Governor:  

 1.     Quality education and opportunities for growth and learning for all Illinois students;  

 2.     Enhanced economic well-Being of citizens;  

 3.     Protection of citizens' lives and property;  

 4.     Protection of the most vulnerable of our citizens;  

 5.     Improved quality of life of citizens; and  

 6.     Improved efficiency and stability of state government.  

The commission will make recommendations on the Governor's priority areas and proposed outcomes, propose a percentage of the overall budget to be assigned to each results area, and review current spending mandates.

The commission is composed of Illinois legislators, executive staff, outside experts and stakeholders. Senator Dan Kotowski (D-Park Ridge) serves as chairman of the commission and was co-sponsor of legislation enabling Budgeting for Results.

"I am honored to be appointed chairman of the Budgeting for Results commission," Sen. Kotowski said. "This bipartisan commission will implement a framework to cut, eliminate, reform and fund agencies and programs based on performance, not politics and self-interest. Illinois families live by these principles every day and now the state government will as well."

The other commission members are:

Hon. Sheila Simon, Lieutenant Governor;

State Senator Tony Munoz (D - Chicago);

State Senator Pam Althoff (R - Crystal Lake);

State Representative Will Davis (D - Hazel Crest);

State Representative Kent Gaffney (R - Lake Barrington);

Hon. Will Burns, Alderman, City of Chicago;

John Bouman, President, Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law;

Carole Brown, Managing Director, Barclays Capital;

Larry Joseph, Director, Budget and Tax Policy, Voices for Illinois Children;

Jim Lewis, Senior Program Officer, Chicago Community Trust;

Lyle Logan, Vice President, Northern Trust Bank;

Dr. Roger Myerson, Glen A. Lloyd Professor of Economics, University of Chicago;

Maria de Jesus Prado, President, Prado & Renteria;

Alex Rorke, Co-chair, Illinois Economic Recovery Commission;

Jose Sanchez, CEO and President, Norwegian American Hospital;

Steve Schnorf, Budget Consultant;

Kevin Semlow, Director of Legislative Affairs, Illinois Farm Bureau and;

Donna Sims Wilson, Executive Vice President, Castleoak Securities.

"It is a privilege to serve the state of Illinois on the new Budgeting for Results Commission," Roger Myerson, Noble Prize winning economist said. "This commission reflects a broad commitment by Governor Quinn and the legislature to improve the process by which this state makes tough fiscal choices. We will work to develop better measurements of government performance and budgetary transparency."

"The appointed Commissioners are a good cross-section of private and public sector individuals," Rep. Kent Gaffney (R-Lake Barrington) said. "The task ahead will become more difficult as we work towards a plan to allocate scarce state funds in a manner that will improve the business climate and overall economic situation of our state, while also improving the quality of life for Illinoisans."

Appointees from the Governor's executive staff are Cristal Thomas, Deputy Governor, and John Kamis, Senior Advisor to the Governor.

The commission will issue a report the Governor and the General Assembly by Nov. 1 each year, starting in 2011.

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Will Focus on Strengthening Women's Role in Illinois' Economic Recovery

CHICAGO - August 18, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today announced the creation of the Governor's Advisory Council on Women, with the goal of strengthening the participation of women in Illinois' economic recovery.

"Women entrepreneurs are helping to drive the economic growth of our state. This advisory council will make sure we are eliminating barriers so they can reach their full potential as workers, employers and business owners," Governor Quinn said. "The women on this council have dedicated their lives to these issues, and I thank them for their service." 

Co-chaired by Deputy Governor Cristal Thomas and Judy Gold, a nationally-recognized women's advocate, the volunteer council will be composed of non-elected female leaders from a variety of cultural, economic and professional backgrounds. The council will work to advance the role and participation of women in Illinois' economy and recovery.

The council will also work to increase the number of women in the engineering, science and technology fields, and support the development and growth of women-owned business enterprises. The council will recommend policy solutions to remove barriers to women in the workforce. It will examine issues that initially include pay inequities, financial literacy, child care, access to capital for small business owners, workforce development and job training, and educational opportunities.

"Women are a critical part of our economy and are playing an important role in our economic recovery." Thomas said. "I'm honored that Governor Quinn has asked me to co-chair this advisory council." 

"Governor Quinn has a proven record of supporting issues important to women and girls. I commend him for that commitment and for establishing a women's council." Gold said. "I look forward to working with him, Deputy Governor Thomas and these committed appointees on this important project." 

The members of the council are: Cristal Thomas, deputy governor; Judy Gold, a partner at Perkins Coie; Nancy Chen, former Region V director of the U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau; Judy Rice, a vice-president at Harris Bank; Maria Pasquiera, president of Mujeras Latinas en Accion; Hedy Ratner, co-president of the Women's Business Development Center; Juliette Pryor, executive vice president, general counsel and chief ethics officer of U.S. Foodservice; and Amy Hilliard, president and chief executive officer of the Comfort Cake Company.

The council, which will meet at least four times over the next year, will make recommendations to the Governor on legislative and policy issues important to women and girls across Illinois.

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