Topic: Chuck Grassley

Featured

Immigration reform bill: Top 8 changes GOP senators want

More than 300 amendments were submitted for possible inclusion in a sweeping immigration reform package – at least 100 of them from two Republicans, Sens. Charles Grassley of Iowa and Jeff Sessions of Alabama. Here are eight notable changes GOP lawmakers want to see in bill, as the Senate Judiciary Committee takes up amendments between now and Memorial Day.

All Content

Robert Reich Stop subsidizing sky-high CEO salaries.

Taxpayers are paying for CEOs to receive huge salaries, as corporations deduct executives' compensation from income taxes. What's the solution?
In Senate, emotional appeal to restore 'heart and soul' of Voting Rights Act

Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, a leader of the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery, urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to restore a key section of the Voting Rights Act struck down by the Supreme Court.
Immigration reform bill clears Senate, but faces roadblock in House (+video)

The Senate approved the bill by a 68-to-32 vote Thursday. But House leaders, including those supportive of the immigration reform effort, have said the Senate legislation won't get a hearing in their chamber.
How drones are used for domestic surveillance

FBI Director Robert Mueller told the Senate Judiciary Committee that unmanned aircraft is used minimally in domestic surveillance to monitor unmoving objects and save law enforcement officers from serious risks. Senators expressed concerns about the secrecy of the program and possible threats to privacy.
FBI uses drones on US soil: Senators want assurances on privacy (+video)

FBI Director Robert Mueller told the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday that the FBI is using drones to conduct secret surveillance on US citizens. Many lawmakers seemed surprised.
With three nominations to D.C. Circuit court, Obama gets aggressive (+video)

President Obama will move Tuesday to fill all three vacancies on the D.C. Circuit, America's top federal appeals court after the Supreme Court and a training ground for future justices. Republicans are already fighting back.
Energy Voices Why the US military should continue biofuel research

The sequester should not excuse the US military from making the important investments into the future, Holland writes. It is strategically important for the military to develop new sources of energy like biofuels.
Immigration reform bill: Top 8 changes GOP senators want

More than 300 amendments were submitted for possible inclusion in a sweeping immigration reform package – at least 100 of them from two Republicans, Sens. Charles Grassley of Iowa and Jeff Sessions of Alabama. Here are eight notable changes GOP lawmakers want to see in bill, as the Senate Judiciary Committee takes up amendments between now and Memorial Day.
Decoder Wire Glenn Beck conspiracy theory: What's his evidence?

Glenn Beck conspiracy theory: A Saudi national was involved in the Boston Marathon attack, Glenn Beck alleges. US officials reject the notion and dismiss the 'evidence' as so much bureaucratic paperwork.
Obama's immigration plan makes the US safer, says Napolitano

Lawmakers worried about border security loopholes revealed by the Boston bombing, but Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said they were already addressed by Obama's proposed immigration plan.
Boston Marathon bombing moves from solidarity to partisan politics

Partisanship was absent in the days following the Boston Marathon bombing. Now, political issues are entering into the discussion, including gun control, immigration, and national security.
Immigration reform and Boston bombing: why some make a connection

Should the Boston bombing be part of the debate on immigration reform? Some say the proposal would make the US more vulnerable, but others say the discussion should not be so narrow.
'Shame on you!' Gun vote shamed by Obama, Giffords, Maisch

'Shame' was the word of the day after the U.S. Senate failed to pass gun control legislation yesterday. A spectator in the gallery yelled out 'Shame on you!' while President Obama referred to the vote as 'pretty shameful' and Rep. Gabby Giffords wrote 'Shame on them' in an op-ed about the senators.
Obama said to be close to naming Perez for Department of Labor

Sources close to the president have told the Associated Press civil rights official Thomas Perez is likely to be President Barack Obama's choice to head the Department of Labor.
Gun trafficking bill passes Senate panel. Is that it for Obama gun agenda?

A gun-trafficking bill picked up important Republican support Thursday, improving its chances for passing the full Senate. But other parts of President Obama's gun-control agenda are in limbo.
Republicans call foul on release of immigrant detainees (+video)

Immigration officials say the detainee release was a bureaucratic necessity to prepare for sequester budget cuts. But the move has raised questions about whether the administration is playing politics.
Gun debate 101: Doesn't US already have laws against gun trafficking?

Congress is considering legislation to crack down on gun traffickers and so-called straw buyers. But the NRA says the Obama administration just needs to enforce laws already on the books. Here's what the record shows.
Gun control: inklings of a compromise in the Great Gun Debate (+video)

Amid a largely partisan standoff on gun control, there are signs of bipartisan support on issues such as gun trafficking and expanding background checks for gun sales.
Energy Voices A123 purchase by Chinese firm approved by US. Are energy secrets safe?

The acquisition of A123 Systems Inc. by China-based Wanxiang Group Corp. passed its last official hurdle with the authorization by the US government. The approval comes despite concerns that the A123 Systems deal would expose sensitive energy technology to Chinese authorities.
Slain border patrol agent worked a well-worn drug-smuggling corridor (+video)

Authorities remain mum on the investigation into the shooting death Tuesday of US border patrol agent Nicholas Ivie. He and two other agents had responded to a tripped sensor in a known drug-running corridor in Arizona.
US Border Patrol agents targeted in Arizona (+video)

Two Border Patrol agents were shot on Tuesday at a station in Naco, Arizona. One of the agents was killed and the other injured. Officials say the crime scene investigation could take several days.
UBS whistleblower: IRS pays tax cheat informant $104M

UBS whistleblower Bradley Birkenfeld was awarded $104 million by the Internal Revenue Service for providing information about overseas tax cheats. The UBS whistleblower is credited with exposing widespread tax evasion at the Swiss bank and was jailed after cooperating with authorities.
Mitt Romney's illegal immigration problem: Would he reverse Obama's order?

Some young illegal immigrants can begin applying for deportation deferrals Wednesday under a politically popular move by President Obama in June. It puts Mitt Romney in a bit of a pickle.
Civics lesson from Justice O’Connor: Obama’s health-care remarks ‘unusual’

Retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, testifying in the Senate about her national online iCivics project, was drawn into the lingering controversy over health care. She called criticism of Justice Roberts 'unfortunate' and Obama's remarks aimed at the court 'unusual.'
Congress v. Holder: Despite 'bombshell' wiretap, feds decline to investigate top cop

The US Department of Justice declined to investigate its own chief, Eric Holder, after the House cited him for criminal contempt over the Fast and Furious scandal. But House Republicans say they’ve found a ‘bombshell’ document that suggests DOJ officials knew more than they let on.