Grassley
Direct
I
spoke
with
Nikki
Thunder
of
KCHE
Radio
in
Cherokee
and
Paige
Godden
of
the Indianola
Tribune
about Iowa’s
gubernatorial
transition,
biodiesel
tax
credit
reform,
family
farm
bankruptcy
legislation,
misclassification
of
EpiPens,
Justice
Department
accountability
and
the
state
of
health
insurance
in
Iowa.
Q&A:
Congressional
Review
Act
Q.
What
is
the
Congressional
Review
Act?
Q.
How
has
the
115th
Congress
used
the Congressional
Review
Act?
Quick
Links
I
held
ten county
meetings
across
Iowa
as
part
of
my
annual
99
county
meetings.
One
of
my
county
meetings
was
at
a
lumber
company
located
in Dallas
County to
tour
the
facility
and
answer
questions
from
employees
about
my
work
in
Washington
for
Iowans. I
hold
these
meetings
in
a
variety
of
formats
to
ensure
that
a
broad
cross-section
of
Iowans
can
participate,
including
offices,
schools,
churches,
town
halls,
factory
floors
and
other
places
of
business.
Watchdogs
at
the
Department
of
Health
and
Human
Services
concluded taxpayers overpaid
for
EpiPens,
lifesaving
medical
devices
used
to
treat
severe
allergic
reactions,
by
nearly
$1.3
billion
over
the
last
decade.
This
is
far
more
than
the
$465
million
that
the
company
that
manufactures
the
device,
Mylan,
reported
it
had
agreed
to
in
settlement
negotiations
with
the
Justice
Department
last
year. Taxpayers
have
a
right
to
know
what
happened
here
and
to
be repaid whatever
they
are
owed.
Poorly
performing
medical
devices
can
cause
serious
health
risks
and
cost
seniors
and
people
with
disabilities
millions
of
dollars
in
out-of-pocket expenses.
I expressed
my
support
for
Unique
Device
Identifiers
for
medical
devices,
which
would
improve
patient
health
and
strengthen
the
integrity
of
the
Medicare
system.
Last
month,
a
man
illegally
residing
in
the
U.S.
nearly
killed
a
6-year-old
child
while
driving
drunk.
It
turns
out
this
man
had
been
deported
15
times
before
for
various
crimes.
I
wrote
a letter
to
Homeland
Security
Secretary
John
Kelly seeking
information
about
the
driver's
immigration
and
criminal
history
and
how
the
Trump
Administration’s
new
policies
may
help
prevent
such
dangerous
incidents
in
the
future.
Events
like
this
and
the
one
that
claimed
the
life
of
21-year-old
Iowan
Sarah
Root
should
serve
as
a
wakeup
call
about
the
importance
of
immigration
enforcement
and
the
rule
of
law.
First
responders
and
law
enforcement
officers
often
run
toward
danger
to
keep
our
communities
safe.
Sadly,
too
many
make
the
ultimate
sacrifice
in
the
line
of
duty.
As
a
society,
we’ve
promised
to
support
the
loved
ones
of
these
fallen
officers,
but
many
of
their
families
are
left
in
an
unacceptable
limbo
for
years
before
hearing
back
about
their
applications
for
survivor
benefits.
Yesterday,
the
President
signed
my
bill
that
will
reduce
the
backlogs
of
these
applications,
so
families
can
get
the
answers
and
assistance
they
deserve.
Post
of
the
Week
|