CHUCK GRASSLEY

Congress has taken a new step toward reining in the market dominance of Big Tech. Bipartisan legislation advanced by a Senate panel would bar the dominant online platforms from favoring their own goods and services over those of rivals on the platforms.

The Biden administration has lowered annual production requirements for ethanol and other biofuels to account for reduced demand as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

At the same time, the administration moved to reject requests by small oil refineries to be exempted from ethanol requirements, saying they had failed to show exemptions were justified under the Clean Air Act. Taken together, the actions reflect the administration’s “commitment to reset and strengthen” the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, or RFS, “following years of mismanagement” by the Trump administration and disruptions to the gasoline market stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said. The actions announced Tuesday will enable officials “to get the RFS program back in growth mode by setting ambitious levels for 2022 and by reinforcing the foundation of the program so that it’s rooted in science and the law,” said Michael Regan, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, which sets ethanol requirements under the RFS.

The comedian discusses his less-than-graceful attainment of years, and its effects on his knees.

Migrants whose children were taken from them under former President Donald Trump’s zero-tolerance border policy have not reached a settlement agreement with the U.S. government.

Garland testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee for an oversight hearing.

The first Black chair of Iowa’s Democratic Party says he received a series of racist messages, including a lynching threat, after writing a newspaper op-ed criticizing former President Donald Trump and the state Republican officials who stood with him at a recent rally in Des Moines.

The midterm elections are approaching, and the Republican Party is heading into them with the former President as its leader.

The American Innovation and Choice Online Act would prohibit dominant online platforms from engaging in discriminatory behavior.

Woodward was talking about the unusual loyalty still shown to Donald Trump by even his former critics, like Sen. Chuck Grassley.

The House’s second-ranking Republican, Rep. Steve Scalise, is refusing to say that the 2020 election wasn’t stolen.

Republican Sen. Charles Grassley and Gov. Kim Reynolds have embraced Donald Trump’s return to Iowa.

Broken security cameras at federal prisons across the U.S. have allowed inmates to escape from prison undetected and hampered investigations into misconduct.

One person was killed and 14 others were wounded after a gunman opened fire at a supermarket.

The 74th Annual Tony Awards will return on Sunday, September 26.

One person was killed and 14 others were wounded after a gunman opened fire at a Kroger supermarket in Collierville, Tennessee.

The senator from Iowa announced his reelection bid Friday.

Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley says he will seek an eighth term in 2022.

Several U.S. senators are questioning the Food and Drug Administration’s work with a consulting firm that helped businesses sell prescription painkillers during the nation’s overdose crisis.

As the Senate approves a budget resolution, lawmakers may soon hammer out proposals to repeal the $10,000 limit on the deduction for state and local taxes.

A top House Republican doubts the Justice Department will allow the release of any report from special counsel John Durham.

The Justice Department says the Treasury Department must provide the House Ways and Means Committee former President Donald Trump’s tax returns, apparently ending a long legal showdown over the records.

Republican lawmakers are under increasing pressure to persuade vaccine skeptics to roll up their sleeves and take the shots as a new, more contagious COVID-19 variant sends caseloads soaring.

Republican lawmakers are under increasing pressure to persuade vaccine skeptics to roll up their sleeves and take the shots as a new, more contagious COVID-19 variant sends caseloads soaring.

Iowa Democrat Abby Finkenauer is running for Republican Chuck Grassley’s U.S. Senate seat.

Democrat Abby Finkenauer, a former congresswoman, is running for Republican Chuck Grassley's U.S. Senate seat, hoping her blue-collar credentials will propel her forward in a state that has grown more conservative over the years. The 32-year-old former state lawmaker, who announced her candidacy by video Thursday morning, would offer a stark contrast to the 87-year-old Grassley, who was elected to his first term in the Senate eight years before Finkenauer was born. “I’m running ... to make sure that Iowans and, quite frankly, our country has someone sitting in the United States Senate representing them and working for them every day who actually understand working families,” Finkenauer told The Associated Press in an interview before the video release.

Wealthy philanthropists have long enjoyed an advantageous way to give to charity: Using something called a donor-advised fund, they’ve been able to enjoy tax deductions and investment gains on their donations long before they give the money away.

"I think that what people saw with their own eyes reflects a different reality," GOP Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said.

Eighty-seven-year-old Chuck Grassley is trying to show Iowans that he’s not just physically ready for an eighth term, but that's he thriving.

Republican senators are demanding answers from Attorney General Merrick Garland about Susan Hennessey’s role in the Justice Department’s National Security Division, highlighting her “bias” shown in comments critiquing John Durham’s investigation.

Fewer than a third of Iowans would vote for GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley if he seeks an 8th term, poll finds

A new poll published over the weekend indicates that 64% of those surveyed believe it's "time for someone else" to occupy Sen. Chuck Grassley's (R-Iowa) Senate seat, the Des Moines Register reports.Why it matters: Grassley hasn't said yet whether he plans to seek re-election in 2022, but with an evenly divided Senate, "Iowa's race is one of the most closely watched" in the country, according to Politico.Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.The big picture: O

Democrats are pushing for investigations into Trump’s justice department for data seizures from Eric Swalwell and Adam Schiff Mitch McConnell criticized the rapidly expanding congressional inquiries as unnecessary. Photograph: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters Top Republicans are moving to block a Senate inquiry into the Trump justice department’s secret seizure of data from Democrats to hunt down leaks of classified information, fearing a close investigation could damage the former president. Trump, who

The Obama-appointed justice sided with a unanimous Supreme Court based on the text of the law.

The Senate has confirmed the first appellate court judge of President Joe Biden’s tenure.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds complained in a letter sent Thursday that the federal government didn't notify her before flying migrant children into the Des Moines airport in April, then shuttling them to other cities as part of an effort to join them with relatives. In a letter sent to Iowa U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, Reynolds called for a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on immigration that should address the Biden administration’s lack of notice when it moves children through the states. Although similar migrant children relocation occurred during the Trump and Obama administrations, Reynolds spokesman Pat Garrett said the recent flight was different because it occurred late at night and a federal agency initially denied it had organized the flight.

Unaccompanied migrant children were transported to Iowa and Tennessee this spring without any notice from federal agencies, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday in a call for transparency.Reynolds and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee also claim that federal officials initially denied their involvement. Why it matters: Now the two Republican governors — who both denied the Biden administration's requests to house migrant children in their states — are calling on Congress to investigate the incidents.Stay on to

Two key U.S. senators introduced legislation Wednesday designed to spur faster payouts from donor-advised funds and foundations, giving new momentum to an effort that has deeply divided philanthropy.

Two key U.S. senators introduced legislation Wednesday designed to spur faster payouts from donor-advised funds and foundations, giving new momentum to an effort that has deeply divided philanthropy. Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, of Iowa, a former chairman of the Finance Committee who still sits on that panel, and Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine who caucuses with the Democrats, have teamed up on legislation that closely tracks a plan put forward by the Initiative to Accelerate Charitable Giving, a group of prominent wealthy donors, foundations, and scholars of charitable giving. “The federal government offers tax incentives to Americans who give back, but in order to ensure that these funds are doing the most possible good, we must reform the rules that govern some charitable donations,” King said in a news release.

There are signs of Democratic fatigue in Iowa, a state viewed for decades as a true political battleground.

An Iowa farmer and farmer county supervisor has become the first Democrat to announce he is running for Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley's seat.

Dave Muhlbauer, an Iowa farmer and a former county supervisor, on Monday became the first Democrat to announce he is running for Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley's seat. In a campaign video that shows farm scenes and small towns, Muhlbauer says onetime rural Democrats “just feel like Democrats are leaving rural areas high and dry.”

The Pentagon went through its first independent financial audit in 2017. But after three failed attempts, lawmakers are losing their patience. A new bill could impose financial penalties on the DoD.

Lawmakers are increasingly looking at boosting the IRS to help pay for infrastructure improvements.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) wants more details about John Kerry's personal finances and how the Biden climate envoy is avoiding conflicts between his official duties and private investments.The big picture: Grassley, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday seeking more information after Axios revealed new details about Kerry's lucrative work in finance and energy investing after he completed his tenure as secretary himself.Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free"The operation of good government requires faithful adherence to ethical rules," Grassley wrote. "It’s unclear exactly what matters Mr. Kerry has been barred from working on and whether he has received any waivers for specific matters that he would otherwise be recused from."Between the lines: As Axios reported Friday, Kerry drew a $5 million salary from Bank of America last year and brought in hundreds of thousands more in speaking fees and consulting income.Some of his former clients do significant business in the energy and environmental space, over which Kerry is now poised to exert significant policy influence as special presidential envoy for climate.Kerry also has pressed major financial institutions to collaborate on efforts to address global climate change.According to a Politico report in March, that included entreaties to Brian Moynihan, Bank of America's CEO.The intrigue: The State Department told Axios last week Kerry has signed a Biden-imposed ethics pledge barring him from participating in specific official actions affecting his former clients and employers.He's also bound by federal ethics laws restricting that activity.Grassley wants to know precisely what Kerry is recused from doing, and whether any of those rules have been waived.The senator's letter also requests "all records, including memoranda, emails and other similar documents, relating to all evaluations of potential, apparent and/or actual conflicts of interest."The department declined to comment about the letter.More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free

President Joe Biden’s call for authorizing Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices has energized Democrats on a politically popular idea they’ve been pushing for nearly 20 years only to encounter frustration.

Televising the Chauvin trial allowed transparency and allowed citizens to see the workings of justice, which validates cameras in court.

Senate Democrats are holding new Georgia voting rules up as a warning as they push a broad legislative overhaul of U.S. elections.

The IRS says it expects to meet the July 1 deadline under the new pandemic relief law for starting a groundbreaking tax program aimed at reducing child poverty.

DES MOINES, Iowa – Ambitious Republicans are starting to make moves in Iowa, long a proving ground for future presidents. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is the first since the election to gauge Iowans' interest in person this week. As he's expected to in Iowa, Pompeo subtly distinguished himself, without alienating Republicans still loyal to Trump and hoping for a 2024 comeback. But most in her southeast corner of Iowa want to see Trump run again. “At some point he's going to figure out how to get more attention than he's getting now, or he's going to fade into the sunset," Goeas said.

But officials in both parties agree that the surge of GOP departures will make the Republicans' challenge more difficult in the Senate. Several Missouri Republicans are expected to seek the nomination to replace Blunt, but none will be more divisive than former Gov. Ahead of Greitens' announcement, some Republicans worried that he could jeopardize the Senate seat if he emerges as the party's nominee. The former president won by the same margin in Iowa, where 87-year-old Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley is considering retirement. AdMeanwhile, Blunt predicted political success for Republicans in Missouri and beyond during a Monday news conference.

FILE - In this Jan. 7, 2021 file photo, Associate Attorney General nominee Vanita Gupta speaks during an event with President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del. More than 75 former U.S. attorneys are throwing their support behind Gupta for associate attorney general and urging congressional leaders to quickly confirm her to the post. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)WASHINGTON – More than 75 former U.S. attorneys are throwing their support behind President Joe Biden’s nominee for associate attorney general and urging congressional leaders to quickly confirm her to the post. She was in charge of the Justice Department’s civil rights division in the Obama administration. The Senate has scheduled the confirmation hearing for Gupta and Lisa Monaco, Biden’s nominee for deputy attorney general, for March 9.

Judge Merrick Garland, President Joe Biden's pick to be attorney general, answers questions from Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., as he appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Feb. 22, 2021. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Monday to advance the nomination of Merrick Garland, President Joe Biden’s nominee for attorney general. The committee voted 15 to seven in favor of Garland's nomination at a meeting on Monday afternoon. The committee’s vote puts him on track for a quick confirmation, potentially within days. AdThe committee’s top Republican, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, said he also intends to support Garland’s nomination.

Judge Merrick Garland, nominee to be Attorney General, is sworn in at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Monday, Feb. 22, 2021 on Capitol Hill in Washington. That is what I intend to do as the attorney general," Garland said. Garland said his first briefing as attorney general would be focused on the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Other backers include two sons of former Attorney General Edward Levi. “There have been few moments in history where the role of attorney general — and the occupant of that post — have mattered more,” said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the Senate Judiciary chairman.

One joked, “We’re going to Disney World!”Now acquitted in his second Senate impeachment trial, Trump is preparing for the next phase of his post-presidency life. And he's confronting a Republican Party deeply divided over the legacy of his jarring final days in office, culminating in the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol. Searing video images of the day played on loop during his impeachment trial, which ended Saturday. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who spoke with Trump on Saturday night, acknowledged that Trump is “mad at some folks,” but also “ready to move on and rebuild the Republican Party” and “excited about 2022." That sharp rebuke from his once-loyal defender underscores how dramatically Trump's stock has fallen in Washington since his first impeachment trial just over a year ago.

Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON – In his speech from the Senate floor, Sen. Mitch McConnell delivered a scalding denunciation of Donald Trump, calling him “morally responsible” for the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Ad“He didn’t get away with anything yet,” said McConnell, who turns 79 next Saturday and has led the Senate GOP since 2007. It was a stunningly bitter castigation of Trump by McConnell, who could have used much of the same speech had he instead decided to convict Trump. “There is no question, none, that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the event of that day," he said. It withered completely last month, after Republicans lost Senate control with two Georgia runoff defeats they blamed on Trump, and the savage attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters.

Reporters vie for a response from Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, as Senators take a dinner break while arguments continue in former President Donald Trump's impeachment trial, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON – For 90 tense minutes, members of the Senate relived the horror. The rioters were “58 steps” from senators at one point, impeachment manager Eric Swalwell told them. Senators were silent afterward, some sitting quietly and alone, as if to process it all. He walked out of the room in the middle of the presentation, as impeachment manager Stacey Plaskett detailed the threats to Pence’s life.

(Senate Television via AP)WASHINGTON – The legal sparring around Donald Trump's impeachment trial is underway, with briefs filed this week laying out radically different positions ahead of next week's Senate trial. “Some Members called loved ones for fear that they would not survive the assault by President Trump’s insurrectionist mob,” the impeachment managers wrote. Trump’s team denies that the impeachment trial can be held because he is no longer in office. Ad“It is denied that President Trump ever endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government,” they wrote. AdIt is true that no president has faced impeachment proceedings after leaving office, but House managers say there's ample precedent.

(Senate Television via AP)WASHINGTON – The legal sparring around Donald Trump's impeachment trial is underway, with briefs filed this week laying out radically different positions ahead of next week's Senate trial. “Some Members called loved ones for fear that they would not survive the assault by President Trump’s insurrectionist mob,” the impeachment managers wrote. Trump’s team denies that the impeachment trial can be held because he is no longer in office. Ad“It is denied that President Trump ever endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government,” they wrote. AdIt is true that no president has faced impeachment proceedings after leaving office, but House managers say there's ample precedent.

Not Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson. Bishop criticized fellow Republicans like Johnson who parroted claims of illegal election activity, even as he remains a Johnson backer. A number of Republicans are eyeing a run for either Senate or governor, depending on what Johnson does. Potential Republican Senate candidates include U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, former U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy and Kevin Nicholson, who lost a 2018 Republican Senate primary. Mandela Barnes, the state’s first Black lieutenant governor, state Treasurer Sarah Godlewski and state Sen. Chris Larson of Milwaukee.

President-elect Joe Biden, right, listens as Janet Yellen, who Biden nominated to serve as Secretary of the Treasury, speaks at The Queen theater, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)WASHINGTON – The Senate on Monday approved President Joe Biden’s nomination of Janet Yellen to be the nation’s 78th treasury secretary, making her the first woman to hold the job in the department's 232-year history. Yellen, a former chair of the Federal Reserve, was approved by the Senate on a 84-15 vote, becoming the third member of Biden’s Cabinet to win confirmation. Before the approval by the full Senate, Yellen had received unanimous backing from the Senate Finance Committee. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, told Yellen that Biden’s plan represented a “laundry list of liberal structural economic reforms.”As Treasury secretary, Yellen, 74, will occupy a pivotal role in shaping and directing Biden’s economic policies.

President-elect Joe Biden announced Yellen as his nominee for Treasury Secretary. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)WASHINGTON – The Senate Finance Committee approved President Joe Biden’s nomination of Janet Yellen to be the nation’s 78th treasury secretary on Friday, setting up a final vote that would make her the first woman to hold the job. The Finance Committee approved her nomination on a 26-0 vote. Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the incoming chair of the Finance Committee, said he hoped to get Yellen's nomination approved by the full Senate later Friday, but the vote was not scheduled. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told Yellen that Biden’s plan represented a “laundry list of liberal structural economic reforms.”As treasury secretary, Yellen, 74, would occupy a pivotal role in shaping and directing Biden’s economic policies.

WASHINGTON – “Where are they?” a Trump supporter demanded in a crowd of dozens roaming the halls of the Capitol, bearing Trump flags and pounding on doors. On Wednesday, hallowed spaces of American democracy, one after another, yielded to the occupation of Congress. Trump told his morning crowd at the Ellipse that he would go with them to the Capitol, but he didn’t. Video footage also showed officers letting people calmly walk out the doors of the Capitol despite the rioting and vandalism. Shortly after being told to put on gas masks, most members were quickly escorted out of the chamber.

(Samuel Corum/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON – Wednesday's congressional joint session to count electoral votes could drag late into the night as some Republicans plan to challenge Democrat Joe Biden's victory in at least six states. Under federal law, Congress must meet Jan. 6 to open sealed certificates from each state that contain a record of their electoral votes. The Constitution requires Congress to meet and count the electoral votes. The presiding officer opens and presents the certificates of the electoral votes in alphabetical order of the states. If they do not both agree, the original electoral votes are counted with no changes.

Under federal law, Congress must meet Jan. 6 to open sealed certificates from each state that contain a record of their electoral votes. The Constitution requires Congress to meet and count the electoral votes. The presiding officer opens and presents the certificates of the electoral votes in alphabetical order of the states. The appointed "tellers" from the House and Senate, members of both parties, then read each certificate out loud and record and count the votes. If they do not both agree, the original electoral votes are counted with no changes.

Eleven Republican senators saying they will not be voting Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, to confirm President-elect Joe Biden's victory include Wyoming's newly sworn in Sen. Cynthia Lummis, a Cheyenne-area rancher and former congresswoman. It is unclear just what the Republican senators will do, but the process could drag into the night as the two chambers will have to consider each objection individually. And more than a dozen Republican senators have said they will not support the effort. Facing the criticism from many in his own party, Cruz has attempted to put a finer point on his challenge. The commission remains his focus, he has said, not to undo the election results, even though that would be the practical effect of a successful objection.

Under federal law, Congress must meet Jan. 6 to open sealed certificates from each state that contain a record of their electoral votes. The Constitution requires Congress to meet and count the electoral votes. The presiding officer opens and presents the certificates of the electoral votes in alphabetical order of the states. At the end, the presiding officer announces who has won the majority votes for both president and vice president. If they do not both agree, the original electoral votes are counted with no changes.

(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)WASHINGTON – The congressional joint session to count electoral votes is generally a routine, ceremonious affair. Under federal law, Congress must meet Jan. 6 to open sealed certificates from each state that contain a record of their electoral votes. The Constitution requires Congress to meet and count the electoral votes. The presiding officer opens and presents the certificates of the electoral votes in alphabetical order of the states. The tellers record and count the votes, The presiding officer announces who has won the majority votes for both president and vice president.

(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)WASHINGTON – The congressional joint session to count electoral votes is generally a routine, ceremonious affair. Under federal law, Congress must meet Jan. 6 to open sealed certificates from each state that contain a record of their electoral votes. The Constitution requires Congress to meet and count the electoral votes. The presiding officer opens and presents the certificates of the electoral votes in alphabetical order of the states. The tellers record and count the votes, The presiding officer announces who has won the majority votes for both president and vice president.

On Dec. 23, 2020, President Donald J. Trump signed into law the Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation Act (the “Act”), which prohibits employers from retaliating against certain individuals who report criminal antitrust violations. “We thank the President, the Senate, and the House of Representatives for their bipartisan commitment to criminal antitrust enforcement,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “By incentivizing disclosures of anticompetitive conduct, the Act will strengthen the Antitrust Division’s criminal enforcement program, a cornerstone of our mission to protect the American consumer.”The Act supplements a range of recent initiatives designed to support the detection, investigation, and prosecution of criminal antitrust violations. Last month, the Antitrust Division celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Procurement Collusion Strike Force with the addition of 11 new national partners. In October 2020, the division applauded President Trump’s authorization of the Antitrust Criminal Penalty Enhancement and Reform Permanent Extension Act, which had been supported by the department.

Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, said in a statement that he agreed to participate because it's important to understand how vulnerable even verified accounts are. “We’ve seen how easy it is for foreign adversaries to use social media as a tool to manipulate election campaigns and stoke political unrest," Murphy said. “It’s clear that social media companies are not doing enough to combat misinformation and paid manipulation on their own platforms and more needs to be done to prevent abuse.”In an age when much public debate has moved online, widespread social media manipulation not only distorts commercial markets, it is also a threat to national security, NATO StratCom director Janis Sarts told The Associated Press. “These kinds of inauthentic accounts are being hired to trick the algorithm into thinking this is very popular information and thus make divisive things seem more popular and get them to more people. “It means you are unequally protected across social media platforms.

FILE - In this Sept. 17, 2020, file photo, House Majority Whip James Clyburn, of S.C., speaks during a news conference about COVID-19, on Capitol Hill in Washington. President-elect Joe Biden brings more Capitol Hill experience than any president in decades. Biden's team swiftly adjusted, introducing Black, Latino and Asian American nominees as the president-elect vows to build the most diverse administration in history. Biden’s team incensed Hispanic and Asian and Pacific American lawmakers with its handling of Cabinet choices from their communities. “Democrats are always lecturing Republican senators about approving future Biden Cabinet nominees even if we don’t agree with them,” Grassley said.

In a 2016 investigation, The Associated Press and Center for Public Integrity found that opioid makers were backing advocacy groups that supported access to the drugs. For the report released Wednesday, the senators’ staffs examined financial records for 10 advocacy groups that endorsed access to powerful prescription painkillers from 2012 through 2019. Wednesday's report identified a series of connections between the contributions and the work done by the groups. The company, one of the nation’s biggest makers of generic prescription opioids, paid the group $200,000 that year to help support its efforts. The nonprofit has said that it alone determines the group’s advocacy efforts, which include using physical therapy, chiropractic care and yoga as alternatives to opioids for pain treatment after surgery.

(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)WASHINGTON – The congressional joint session to count electoral votes is generally a routine, ceremonious affair. Under federal law, Congress must meet Jan. 6 to open sealed certificates from each state that contain a record of their electoral votes. The Constitution requires Congress to meet and count the electoral votes. The presiding officer opens and presents the certificates of the electoral votes in alphabetical order of the states. The tellers then record and count the votes, and the presiding officer announces who has won the majority votes for both president and vice president.

Now, seven years later, Mayorkas is President-elect Joe Biden’s groundbreaking nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, and that since-completed investigation has emerged as a potential stumbling block. “That brand of leadership isn’t good for agency culture or the security of our nation,” the Iowa Republican told The Associated Press on Thursday. It’s an important moment for Homeland Security, the third-largest Cabinet agency. It was also not unusual for members of Congress to contact the agency about the EB-5 program. But Kenneth Palinkas, a senior official with the employee union at CIS, said he was widely liked by workers.

Now, seven years later, Mayorkas is President-elect Joe Biden’s groundbreaking nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, and that since-completed investigation has emerged as a potential stumbling block. “That brand of leadership isn’t good for agency culture or the security of our nation,” the Iowa Republican told The Associated Press on Thursday. It’s an important moment for Homeland Security, the third-largest Cabinet agency. It was also not unusual for members of Congress to contact him or the agency about the EB-5 program or other matters. But Kenneth Palinkas, a senior official with the employee union at CIS, said he was widely liked by workers.

Rep. Marcia Fudge of Ohio and former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota are in the running for the Cabinet position. (House Television via AP)WASHINGTON – One leading candidate for agriculture secretary hails from Cleveland, has the backing of progressives and has worked for years to boost food stamp programs. Tom Vilsack, who served as Obama’s agriculture secretary for eight years, is also being considered. Biden has said he wants a diverse Cabinet, and some Black leaders have said he needs to do more to achieve that. “You won't find a better person thant Heidi Heitkamp,” Manchin said in a statement, adding that she would make a “tremendous” agriculture secretary.

Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) walks through Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. September 30, 2020. Sen. Chuck Grassley returned to the Capitol on Monday after he finished a quarantine period following a positive coronavirus test. In a statement, the 87-year-old Iowa Republican said he "did not experience symptoms" after his positive test on Nov. 17. Grassley, the oldest GOP senator, is the president pro tempore of the Senate and third in the line of presidential succession. When he went into quarantine, Grassley missed a vote in the Senate for the first time since 1993.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has tested positive for coronavirus. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., also was not at the Capitol for the procedural vote as he isolated due to Covid-19 exposure. Grassley becomes the sixth senator to test positive for Covid-19. At least three House members have tested positive this month. Here is the full release from Grassley's office:WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley has tested positive for COVID-19 after learning earlier today of an exposure to the coronavirus.

Judy Shelton's controversial nomination to the Federal Reserve suffered a possibly fatal blow Tuesday in a key procedural vote in the Senate. Following the vote, McConnell moved to preserve his right to bring Shelton's name up again for consideration. That would mean a Shelton vote likely would have to take place by next week. Among those joining the Democrats in voting down the procedural vote was Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, who for now remains a senator from California. Combined with the party divisions and the potential absences, the Democrats could have enough votes to block the Shelton nomination.

Chicago Public Schools has announced that it will continue to provide classes through remote learning until after the winter break, but then plans to begin bringing students back on Jan. 11. CPS' announcement also coincides with decisions by several suburban district to revert to remote learning as COVID-19 cases surge in Illinois. At a news conference, Reynolds defended exceptions in her mask mandate that public health experts say makes it weak. As the number of new coronavirus cases in Illinois topped 15,000 for the first time — setting a record for consecutive days — Gov. —Michael HawthorneBreaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.

Top Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley on Thursday said President-elect Joe Biden should be receiving classified intelligence briefings from the Trump administration. Spokesmen from the Trump and Biden campaigns did not immediately respond to CNBC's requests for comment on Grassley's remarks. Grassley, the most senior Republican in the Senate and the chairman of its powerful Finance Committee, is not the only member of his party to insist Biden be granted access to the daily intelligence briefings. The campaign has filed lawsuits in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Georgia and Arizona — all states where Biden either leads Trump or is projected to win. Trump, meanwhile, has amplified a barrage of conspiracy theories to suggest that widespread voter fraud has "rigged" the election against him.

FILE PHOTO: Director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center William Evanina speaks during the Reuters Cybersecurity Summit in Washington, U.S., October 31, 2017. The Senate voted 84 to 7 to approve Evanina as director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center. One of the senators who voted no, Democrat Ron Wyden, said he opposed Evanina because Evanina had not done enough to protect whistleblowers. U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. campaign to boost then-Republican nominee Trump. Trump and his supporters have dismissed the investigation as a witch hunt led by Democrats disappointed about his victory.

Companies that cover the cost of health insurance for their furloughed workers may miss out on a key tax credit. The CARES Act established the employee retention tax credit to encourage employers to continue paying their workers as coronavirus disrupts the economy and shutters businesses. Here's how it would work: A business pays an employee $1,500 per week and also spends $150 per week on health insurance for that individual. The employee retention tax credit does not apply in tandem with the Paycheck Protection Program the forgivable loan program that's available to small businesses. The issue caught the attention of Sen. Finance Committee chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, ranking member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and House Ways and Means Committee chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass.

According to U.S. law, the CCC was established in order to stabilize, support and protect farm income and prices. In its Market Facilitation Program, the USDA followed eligibility rules in the 2018 U.S. farm bill. In a digital exclusive interview, Lesley Stahl spoke with Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, who was one of 13 senators who voted against the 2018 farm bill. The 86-year-old lawmaker told Stahl he is still involved in his family farm and split the government subsidy funds with his son. 60 Minutes found among those who have collected farm bailout money are a banker, an architect and a composer living in various big cities across the U.S.

(Reuters) - When Jessica Rosner saw the $1,200 coronavirus relief payment from the U.S. government was deposited into her bank account Wednesday morning, the furloughed behavioral therapist knew immediately how she would spend the cash. And Rosner, 23, who lives near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, still owed nearly $1,500 for Aprils rent and about $200 for car insurance. The relief payments of up to $1,200 per adult and $500 per child are meant to soften some of the economic damage caused by the pandemic. Those who havent received the money can check their status and provide bank account information through a new Get My Payment app. Paper checks bearing President Donald Trumps name on them will be sent out starting early next week to people who dont use direct deposit.

The answer is yes, regardless of whether they are on Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, or veterans benefits. Plus, all payments will be disbursed by the Treasury Department and not the Social Security Administration, which is a complication, she said. Still, both advocacy groups applauded the fact that the package covers Social Security beneficiaries. Typically, both workers and employers each contribute 6.2% of wages to Social Security. "We're concerned that it could be something that would become permanent and make the (Social Security) program more vulnerable to privatization or benefit cuts," Adcock said.

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File PhotoWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley said on Wednesday that a payroll tax cut was just one of the options under consideration to offset the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Its on the table, Grassley said, when asked about his views on a payroll tax cut. Nearly 90% of Social Securitys budget came from payroll taxes in 2018, according to U.S. government figures. Medicare was 36% funded from payroll taxes in 2018, reported the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, a Washington think tank. An aide to Grassley said a Bloomberg News story reporting that Grassley had said there was not enough support for President Donald Trumps idea of easing payroll taxes was not correct.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. December 19, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File PhotoWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday said there was not enough support for U.S. President Donald Trumps idea to ease payroll taxes to offset coronavirus economic impact, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday. Chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican, added that immediate action on payroll taxes was not needed, according to Bloomberg.

With congress pushing back against President Donald Trump's emergency proposal to eliminate the payroll tax, the idea may be dead in the water. In response to the deadly coronavirus, Trump on Tuesday pitched Republican lawmakers on a 0% payroll tax rate for employers and employees that would last through the rest of this year, and possibly longer. Democratic senators have also taken aim at Trump's proposal. "A payroll tax cut would do little to help workers without paid sick days or those who have lost shifts and tips," Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said in a statement. Even Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley suggested the plan would not stick because of Democrats' demands and lack of "bipartisan support."

Washington The mood in the Senate was subdued on Thursday as senators took the oath promising to be impartial jurors in the impeachment trial, although scattered conversations and laughter punctuated the silence from the Republican side. How will Trump's impeachment trial compare to Clinton's? The senators were then brought to the front to sign the book containing the impeachment oath in groups of four. Senators will not be allowed to speak during the impeachment trial itself. After the senators had signed the oath, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced the trial would resume at 1:00 pm on Tuesday.

Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley is turning to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for help selling his bipartisan bill to lower drug prices in the Senate. Grassley told CNBC on Tuesday that he wants to persuade Pelosi to abandon her drug pricing bill, passed by the House in December, and support his legislation. Pelosi's support would put "pressure on the leadership of the United States Senate to get our bill up," Grassley said on "Squawk Box." We have bipartisan support in the Senate." Grassley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, worked with ranking Democrat Ron Wyden of Oregon to pass a broad drug pricing bill through their committee in July.

USMCA backers, led by President Donald Trump, have called the deal a long-needed overhaul of the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement. The Senate Finance Committee approved a new North American trade deal on Tuesday, moving it one step closer to ratification in the United States. House Democrats worked with the Trump administration for more than a year to secure tweaks to boost enforcement of labor and environmental standards. The changes got most of the party, including a trade deal skeptic in Senate Finance Committee ranking member Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., on board with the deal. Three Senate Finance Committee members voted against reporting the bill favorably Tuesday.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) talks with reporters as he heads for a meeting at the Capitol October 02, 2018 in Washington, DC. Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley said Wednesday that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is responsible for his colleagues' apparent lack of enthusiasm about his bipartisan bill to lower drug prices. When asked by reporters during a briefing why more Senate Republicans haven't supported the legislation, the Senate Finance Committee chairman said because McConnell "asked them not to." Grassley and McConnell have reportedly been at odds over the bipartisan measure, which has support from President Donald Trump and many Senate Democrats. Grassley and ranking Democrat Ron Wyden, of Oregon, advanced the broad drug pricing bill through committee in July.

The State Department has completed its internal investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's use of private email and found violations by 38 people, some of whom may face disciplinary action. The 38 are current and former State Department officials but were not identified. The investigation covered 33,000 emails that Clinton turned over for review after her use of the private email account became public. The department began the review in 2016 after declaring 22 emails from Clinton's private server to be "top secret." Grassley started investigating Clinton's email server in 2017, when he was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's bill to lower prescription drug prices would save Medicare $345 billion over 10 years, according to a preliminary analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The savings wouldn't begin until 2023, assuming the bill gets passed by both the House and Senate and signed by President Donald Trump before the end of this year, the CBO said in the report released late Friday. The greatest savings would come in 2028 at $93 billion, according to the CBO, an independent agency that reviews congressional spending. The CBO said the largest savings would come from the provision that allows Medicare to negotiate lower prices on as many as 250 of the most expensive drugs per year and apply those discounts to private health plans across the U.S. The legislation includes a penalty on pharmaceutical companies that refuse to negotiate or fail to reach an agreement with the U.S. government, starting at 65% of the gross sales of the drug in question.

FILE PHOTO: Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) arrives before a Senate Judiciary Constitution Subcommittee hearing titled "Stifling Free Speech: Technological Censorship and the Public Discourse." on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., April 10, 2019. Senator Chuck Grassley on Tuesday urged Democrats not to use impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump to delay action on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement. Grassley criticized Democrats for launching an impeachment inquiry over reports that Trump sought foreign help to smear a political rival, since he had pledged to release a transcript of his phone call with the Ukrainian president. If Democrats use impeachment proceedings as a basis to not act on policy that will directly benefit Americans like the USMCA or lowering prescription drug prices, that would prove theyre more interested in politics and opposing the president at all costs than serving the American people, Grassley said in a statement.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley said Thursday that he wants to include an abandoned White House proposal that would have eliminated rebates from government drug plans in the final version of a bipartisan drug pricing bill. The White House earlier this month withdrew its plan to ban rebates that drugmakers pay to pharmacy benefit managers. Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the committee's ranking member, on Tuesday introduced a bipartisan bill to lower prescription drug prices for seniors. PhRMA CEO Steve Ubl met with Trump on Wednesday to discuss its problems with the Senate bill, the industry group said in a statement Thursday. Although supported by the White House, the Senate bill on Thursday received pushback from Republicans on the inflation penalty rule.

The proposal aims to keep drug prices down - for both Medicare patients and those in the commercial market - by forcing pharmaceutical companies to pay rebates to Medicare if they raise prices of drugs more than the rate of inflation. The Trump administration and Democrats in the House of Representatives have been working on their own plans to lower the cost of medicines for U.S. consumers. U.S. President Donald Trump, a Republican, has struggled to deliver on a pledge to lower drug prices before the November, 2020 election. His administration is currently working to push through a rule that would tie some Medicare drug prices to the lower prices paid in other countries. Also in July, a federal judge struck down a Trump administration rule that would have forced pharmaceutical companies to include the wholesale prices of their drugs in television advertising.

The proposal aims to keep drug prices down - for both Medicare patients and those in the commercial market - by forcing pharmaceutical companies to pay rebates to Medicare if they raise prices of drugs more than the rate of inflation. The senators said the proposal would save taxpayers $100 billion from the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The Trump administration and Democrats in the House of Representatives have been working on their own plans to lower the cost of medicines for U.S. consumers. U.S. President Donald Trump, a Republican, has struggled to deliver on a pledge to lower drug prices before the November, 2020 election. His administration is currently working to push through a rule that would tie some Medicare drug prices to the lower prices paid in other countries.