Grassley
Direct
In
the
latest
"Grassley
Direct,"
I
discuss
Bill
Northey's
nomination
to
the
U.S.
Department
of
Agriculture,
the
re-authorization
of
the
Violence
Against
Women
Act
and the
benefits
Iowans
are
seeing
from
the
Tax
Cuts
and
Jobs
Act.
Q&A: Transparency
is
the
Right
Cure
for
Wrongdoing
Q. What
shapes
your
views
as
a
champion
for
transparency
in
government?
Q.
What
are
a
few
of
your
legislative
priorities
to
let
the
sun
shine
in
on
the
people’s
business?
Q.
How
would
better
transparency
reduce
cost
and
improve
quality
in
the
U.S.
health
care
system?
Quick
Links
Senator
Ernst
and
I
attended
several
meetings regarding
the Renewable
Fuel
Standard at
the
White
House
with
President
Trump
and
others.
We
are
always
willing
to
meet
with
our
colleagues
to
engage
in
good
faith
discussions
on
any
topic.
I've
made
specific
policy
suggestions that
would
help biofuels
and
oil.
Renewable
sources
of
energy
like
biofuels
aren't
just
important
to
Iowa.
They're
important
to
14
other
states
in
the
Midwest,
to
our
environment,
the
economy
and
to
our
national
security.
Schools
should
be
refuges for learning, not
a
setting
for
violent
crime.
Events
like
the
tragic
shooting
in Parkland,
Florida,
require
that
we
come
together
in
a bipartisan
manner.
The
Senate
Judiciary
Committee,
which
I
chair,
will
be
holding
an
oversight
hearing
on
March
14
to
look
into
the systems
designed
to
prevent
troubled
individuals
like
the
Parkland shooter
from
engaging
in
violent
acts.
The
systems
failed
miserably
and
we
must
hold
the
government
accountable to
prevent
tragedies
in
the
future.
My
summer
internship
applications
are
available
on
my
website. Interning
in
a
congressional
office
is
a
good
way
for
college
students
and
new
graduates
to
learn
more
about
the
legislative
branch
of
the
federal
government
while
gaining
valuable
experience. Internships
in
my
offices
are
available
to
students
in
many
areas
of
study
and
I
encourage
Iowans
to
apply.
I
joined
a
bipartisan
group
of
my
colleagues
seeking feedback
from
the
health
care
industry
as
we
develop
legislation
to
improve
price
transparency
in
the
health
care
market
and
lower
costs.
Health
care
costs
are
too
high
and
now
is
time
to
move
toward a
system
that
is
more
open,
efficient
and
accountable
to
the
needs
of
the
modern
patient.
Senator
Debbie
Stabenow
of
Michigan
and
I
raised
concerns
with
the
U.S.
Department
of
Agriculture regarding farm
program
payments that
are
made
to
the
estates
of
deceased
farmers. We
must
be
careful
stewards
of
taxpayer
money
and
work
to
avoid
wasteful
spending,
so
we
requested
more
information
to
clarify
USDA's
position
on
payments
to
estates
after
the
death
of
a
farmer.
Post
of
the
Week
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