senator grassley. >> before my time starts can i follow up? i have the same concern you do about privacy being violated by drones but i want to point out that the airplanes in iowa and nebraska, the epa has some authority to spy on certain animal feeding operations but they were spying on people they didn't have the right to regulate with the airplanes. we would misuse them but i think you are right when you stab using them for a essentially personal to spy on people with whom they had relationships is totally inappropriate. we will get you a full response to indicate how those cases were dealt with by the justice department. but i share the concerns expressed. >> is a possibly can do that send. >> yes, we will do that soon. >> i have referred to presidential policy of 19 released 15 months ago. this follows up on my interest in making sure whistleblowers have protection. it mandated that you deliver a report to the president with one hot -- within 180 days and that would be april of last year to assist the effectiveness of the f. the eye proc

senator grassley, thanks so much for joining us. >> i'm glad to be with you, of course. >> senator grassley the farm bill -- the farm bill we're talking about now, u.s. farmers receive $23 billion in subsidies and 14 billion of that goes to the largest 10% of farms. does that jive with your notion that millionaires should no longer be coddled? are you happy with the numbers as they stand in that version of the bill? >> what we're trying to do is on payments that are direct to farmers like if you have low prices and you make up some from the taxpayers for those low prices, then what we're trying to do is make sure that those programs are targeted towards medium and small sized farmers. that's why for the first time i've been fighting for ten years to get a hard cap in so that the wealthiest farmers can't get more than that hard cap. because you laid out that the wealthiest farmers are getting most of the payments. let me quantify that. 10% of the largest farmers get 70% of the farm payments. by putting a hard cap on, we're going to direct the payments more towards medium and small farmers an

senator grassley. >> before i read my statement i would like to say to general holder obviously you and i were bitten by different political bugs but we have policy differences and we have more agreement that you and i may realize that a particular time and i think those policy differences are legitimate. in my statement and i'm going to make some comments about some administrative action where i think there is no excuse for and congress isn't being respected by your department and whether it's you or people within your department i think at the very least we ought to have responses where there should be no political differences, just wanting information. so i hope you appreciate the fact that if we disagree on policy issues that it doesn't carry over to things when congress simply wants some administrative action on your part. i thank you chairman leahy for this hearing. it's a very important hearing. oversight is very very important and i think the attorney general for coming here. at least you two are for filling a constitutional responsibility of giving us information that we needed

and thanks, senator grassley to intrude one more question. i'll say this to mr. morell, we've heard some government officials talk about section 215 programs. they say we shouldn't -- americans shouldn't be concerned about them because phone records and nsa obtains are just m metadata and not particularly sensitive. the review group said there were some risks in opposed by the government obtaining massive amounts of met adata, could you elaborate on that? >> i'll say one of the things that i learned in this process that i came to realize in this process, mr. chairman, is that there is quite a bit of content in metadata, when you have records of the phone calls that a particular individual made, you can learn an awful lot about that person. that's one of the things that struck me. there's not in my mind a sharp distinction between meta data and content, more of a continue up. >> in the new york times op-ed, the government should ends it domestic program, current program creates potential risk to public trust, personal privacy and civil liberty. and of course the c

partment senator grassley and i were here. the attorney general has carried since its inception the responsibility to protect americans and safeguard the rights and liberties that make our country great. it's why it's the attorney general of the united states, not the secretary of justice or anything else, but the attorney general of the united states, representing all of us. for much of the past two centuries, the department has faced many challenges. combating violent crime, fraud, corruption, enforcing our nation's laws. of the last several decades, the mission of the department expands to include protecting civil rights of all americans. we have to continue this even today. years after the jim crow laws and poll taxes, that's why i recently joined with representative sense brenner to introduce a -- sensenbrenner to introduce a bipartisan voting rights act. we also face ever-more complicated threats to our national security. more sophisticated methods of criminal activity. the department has had to quickly develop tools and

senator grassley has an historic perspective. i do too. politics used to stop at the water's edge when it came to foreign policy. no more. no more. but you would never know that the deficit's been cut in half and you would never know that eight million private-sector jobs have been created if you listen to my friends on the other side, because they can't give any credit to president obama. but history will. history will. now the last thing i'm going to talk about is health care. i listened to my colleague, senator cruz. go after this president and the democrats on health care. so let's look at a few things. first fact, even though we had a horrible rollout of the health care site, not in california but the federal site, healthcare.gov, and a couple states had a horrible rollout, put that aside, this is what we know now there's more now but i didn't have a chance to make a new chart. we're getting to ten million americans. but over nine million americans have new secure health insurance. three million young adults who have stayed on their p

senator grassley? >> i think you for the pooch of going -- privilege of going ahead. , myy opening statement question was to brownfield. i talked about the bilateral security agreement not going through. it was reported the administration believes it is unlikely an agreement it will be signed before april. my question is if the administration is not able to reach an agreement until april or at all, how would those scenarios affect u.s. counter merck audit efforts -- narcotic efforts and have there been a plans for those scenarios? >> a fair question. a question where i wish i had the answer for you in terms of cs.t is going to happen on ab ouruld suggest to you that for the gentlemen and lady seated to my left, our -- madamility chairman, i was born in the order in which they were seated. i do not wish to leave any confusion that i thought mr. suggesteda lady and i lady and gentleman to my left. >> we know he can blush. >> my apologies for any conclude -- my apologies. it is our responsibility to devel

grassley: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from iowa. mr. grassley: i had a chance to listen to the senator from minnesota, and i come to speak on another subject, but i want to assure her that we will get these two nominees and others across the finish line so that the u.s. attorney for minnesota can go to work hopefully before we get many more days added to the 800 she has already talked about. the farm bill process has been very long, very hard and no doubt frustrating for all who have been involved. some of us on the senate ag committee have participated in two committee markups and two floor debates for this bill. that's over a period of two congresses. i voted for and supported the bill at every one of those junctures. i believe our country needs a good farm policy, which means of course an adequate and yet limited safety net for farmers because so much about farming is beyond the control of the farmers, and i'm not talking just about natural disasters. without a doubt, our farmers face uncontrollable risk every year. the farm bill pro

chuck grassley of iowa mentioned this at the judiciary committee hearing about whether fbi agents should be so quick to, you know, protect somebody who is presumed innocent, of course, but just tactics were pretty wild. this was the trial started in, like, october 15th of '07. headlines like this every day in the new york tabloids. agent of death. i mean, like, they basically convicted him. but the star witness, one of the star witnesses was linda. the woman i told you. it was alleged that by these reporters, now onen the left you see jerry. one of the problem of the most famous and the greatest contemporary reporter on organized crime. he had a column called "gangland" for years. he had played himself in the sopranos. you know. so but each and whatever. on the right mike. and a lot of these -- i'm half italian. half of my book is accurate. jerry -- at the height of the war. the war was waged from 91 to 93. they wrote about it and knew that she was going to be one of the star witnesses. she lies and they end the trial. look now the headline. two weeks later, talk about a reversal of fort

when senator grassley and i both a candidate, when senator grassley has criticized the minnesota office because of the crime numbers, we need a u.s. attorney. >> i agree with you. and the point you made at the end is one that's extremely relevant and one that i hope the senate will consider. this is not simply a united states attorney for minnesota. we have a united states attorney in iowa who needs to be confirmed. we also have other people in the justice department who are awaiting confirmation and who are on the floor. and who traditionally, these are people who are not very -- they're not controversial at all. they are simply waiting to go through the normal senate process which is usually by unanimous consent. i would hope that we would get to the point where that process can be begun again so we can have installed, senate-confirmed people in these positions buzz it does matter having a senate-confirmed person either as united states attorney, assistant attorney general, it matters. so that is something that i hope we would be able to work our way through. >> i appreciate that. tha

senator grassley is going to be joining us. we have a roll call vote soon but i want to get this started, and when the vote occurs at some point come weekend recess for a few minutes while we go and vote . what is important about this hearing, we are going to hear from the president's review group on intelligence and communications technology. i was talking briefly with him in the back, and i know this is the first time they have appeared together publicly since the groundbreaking report was released last month, and i thank them, as i know the president and others have for taking the time, a lot of time and effort, to prepare this report. we know what the technology is today. etherof us can predict wha there will be five to 10 years from now. war and data will be created by all of us as -- more and more data will be created by all of us as each day passes. the questions are obvious -- when should our government be allowed to collect and use that data? what will the answer to these questions need for privacy and in the 21stion c

. >> senator grassley will be joining us. we have a roll call vote expected soon, but i wanted to get this started and then wehis can, when the vote occurs atnden some point, we can recess for a few minutes while we go and a so vote. but what's important about thiss buaring, we're going to hear from the president's review group on intelltigence andhearie communications technologies. i wasgr talking briefly with thm in the back, and i know this is the first time they appeared together this is the first time they've appeared together publicly since the groundbreaking report was released last month and i thank them as i know the president has and others have for taking the time, a lot of time and effort, to prepare this report. and i know it will be reflected what the president's going to say later this week. and the review group's report releases the weighty issues. we know what the technology is today. none of us can predict what it will be five to ten years from now. we also know that more and more data will be created by all

grassley: i would ask to speak in morning business for about 20 minutes. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. grassley: and i'll also ask permission at the end of my remarks to insert some letters that i'll be speaking about. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. grassley: recently the obama administration has been talking a lot about income inequality and poverty. yesterday i spoke about the issue, about the war on poverty, its successes and its failures. as i said yesterday, the u.s. has spent trillions of dollars in the last 50 years fighting the so-called war on poverty. i said yesterday that the results have been marginal, in some cases successful, reducing the poverty rate down from 19% down to the 15% it is now. but a lot more needs to be done. now in the fight against the war on poverty this administration, like a lot of administrations, wants to spend more money on more programs. some of that may be justified, but that doesn't seem to fix the problems. if you just hand this money out with no strings and no oversight, it gets diver

senator chuck grassley proposed in an amendment that they put congress under obama care. i guess, you know, because under the reasoning you were just saying. so that's how it ended up that congress was under obama care. i don't think they ever should have been there in the first place. i'm not surprised they are unhappy. they had really good benefits and they don't make a lot of money as compared to the private sector. >> you're bringing the discussion full circle. if it's good for the average american, it should be good for members of congress and their staff. apparently wasn't as good as the plans they have, which brings us full circle. i have to wrap it up there but see you soon. >> all right. >>> a new voting bloc gaining steam in the political agenda, the group describe themselves as spiritual. in a recent poll, a fifth of americans checked none when questioned about religious preference but nearly 70% of nones report a belief in god or universal spirit. 40% describe themselves as spiritual not religious. author of ""pushback." father murray is a priest. is it a decl

grassley, i have been a longtime supporter of you. i was wondering if you could tell me what the prospects are of restoring the cost of living to the retired military people? all that was cut. i am glad that i was not on the conference that put that in the budget before christmas. it is very controversial. i would vote to restore that. up to do itwas put for new people going into the military, i would vote to change the retirement system but for people who joined under the idea that their compensation plan would include a certain retirement, i don't think it should be changed within the retirement plan. another thing that could affect , thei'm telling you percentage of adjustment for military people should be the same as it is for social security, etc for other civil service retirement. with what weoblem call the consumer price index, overcompensating for inflation, that tends to give all of those categories, cost-of-living, a what thet more than actual cost of living would be according to consumer rights index. -- price index. if we

there was a chuck grassley amendment. there were a lot of problems with it.on johnson is right to criticize it in general and in general he's one of the good guys but where's the republican bill to reduce the rate shock in obamacare. that's the problem. this stuff that congress and their staffers are getting paid, it an important issue that's attracted a lot of issue but it isn't what affects average americans as much as the real issues. >> one add on to, that the republican leadership never really supported abolishing the abolition of the exemption. a lot of people think the staff lobbied, you got a lot of six-figure salaries, pretax dollars, a lot of subsidies. >> a lot of the house republicans -- >> the gop was pretty squishy on that. >> a lot of them did support it. some didn't. i'd say the majority did support what ron johnson is trying to do. but again, as important of an issue it is and when i write about this for forbes it gets massive traffic because there's so much interest on it, but at the end of the day, compared to the 2,000 pages of obamacare a

grassley, i have been a longtime supporter of you.as wondering if you could tell me what the prospects are of restoring the cost of living to the retired military people? all that was cut. i am glad that i was not on the conference that put that in the budget before christmas. it is very controversial. i would vote to restore that. up to do itwas put for new people going into the military, i would vote to change the retirement system but for people who joined under the idea that their compensation plan would include a certain retirement, i don't think it should be changed within the retirement plan. another thing that could affect , thei'm telling you percentage of adjustment for military people should be the same as it is for social security, etc for other civil service retirement. with what weoblem call the consumer price index, overcompensating for inflation, that tends to give all of those categories, cost-of-living, a what thet more than actual cost of living would be according to consumer rights index. -- price index. if we woul

grassley: thank you, mr. president. senator mcconnell has made a very important call to restore the senate as a great deliberative body that it was intended to be. i would like to continue to add my voice to that call. in fact, i'm going to expand on some observations that i made previously before the senate, i believe in the month of december last year. the united states senate is a unique body designed with a very unique purpose in mind. in the "federalist papers" 62 attributed to the father of the constitution, james madison, the unique role of the united states senate is explained this way -- quote -- "the necessity of a senate is not less indicated by the propensity of all single and numerous assemblies to yield to the impulse of sudden and violent passions and to be seduced by factious leaders into intemperate and pernicious resolutions." end of quote. when madison talks about factious leaders and also intemperate and pernicious resolutions, he basically means what we call partisanship and the way some partisans e

the senator grassley not like to make sure that these are live so that anyone can watch.the rules prohibit any albers were demonstrations of any kind and includes blocking the view of people around you. please be mindful to those rules and of course of your neighbors as well. and this is part of the senate's core mission. it is interesting that the judiciary act of 1789 and neither senator grassley and i felt which at that time, but be attorney general has carried the responsibility is to protect americans to make our country's great and the attorney general of the united states represent all of us for much of the past two centuries including fraud and corruption in enforcing our nation's laws for the last several decades including protecting civil rights of americans for many years after the jim crow law by recently drawing representative sensenbrenner and we also talk about our national security and sophisticated methods of criminal activity in developing new tools and resources to respond to these threats and this includes remaining true of our liberty and privacy and

and welcome back to cctv means investors all are that good about helping that grassley the european central bank's decision on interest rates as top officials credit than monthly meeting in front at. and here is a money trail starts he has are a peek at these and spock in two straight after michael no point two five percent in an effort to steam in a press box economic biggest milk and fruit and the u s bank on the truth just a point one percent. and if that's close to the other books that consumer prices rose just point eight percent annually an ecb president and that we know jackie is expected to be for the media about the band's direction after the meeting an area known to some but he indicates it's at the center by the knowles had immediate past and though the rate at any time. more on the right policy meeting when our crossing to respond to unseen brussels central catholic central high that and you think about it said it has no plans to file that cuts the range of wines that one thing considering that it was only last november that the european central bank reduced its main lending rat

companies are hesitant to endorse as is raking member of the senate judiciary committee senator chuck grassley this is an interesting idea perhaps worth investigating but i think it's legitimate to have concern that it may create some many as many privacy problems says it sells indeed private companies seem to be allowing their customers information to be act on what seems to be a daily basis now the chairman of the senate judiciary committee senator patrick leahy has his own ideas about the n.s.a.'s bulk collection america of. phone metadata he thinks the program should be terminated and he's sponsoring legislation to do just that but he's facing some strong opposition from lawmakers on the hill cozy with the surveillance state looking ahead the president could on his own end of the bulk phone records collection program he could do it this week and he doesn't need congress's approval but he's not expected to do that you may remember following the edward snowden revelations the white house moved to rather quickly to stop targeted spying on a few dozen world leaders but it has not shown the sam

as is written member of the senate judiciary committee senator chuck grassley. this is an interesting idea perhaps worth investigate. but i think it's legitimate to have concern that it may create so many as many privacy problems as is so windy. private companies seem to be allowing their customers information in the head. what seems to be a daily basis. now the chairman of the senate judiciary committees and or paprika way he has is own ideas about this is all quite sian of americans' phone mad about that. he thinks the program should be terminated. the sponsoring legislation to do just that he's facing some strong opposition from lawmakers on the hill cozy with the surveillance state looking ahead the president could on his own end of the old phone records collection program. you could do it this week. doesn't the congress's approval is expected to do that. i remember following the edwards snorting revelations the white house moved rather quickly to stop targeted spying a few dozen world leaders. but it has not shown the same willingness to stop dragnet spine

[applause] >> on the next washington journal, republican senator chuck grassley will discuss the $1.1 trillion spending bill announced on monday and the nsa surveillance programs. we will continue that conversation with representative adam schiff. a member of the house intelligence committee. we will be joined by the senior editor of cq roll call. we will talk about his article on possible compromises in this session of congress. washington journal is live every day at 7:00 a.m. eastern. several live events to tell you about on our companion network c-span 3. witnesses will include several former chairman of the communications commission. president obama is in north carolina to talk about the economy and manufacturing. members of the senate foreign relations committee will hear about the political form oil in ukraine -- turmoil in ukraine. >> i think i just a little antennas. when somebody had their own onnie's.nd not rn and then i would tell him. he may not agree with me, but i would tell them. >> watch our program on first lady nancy reagan on our website, c-span.org. or see it on c

congress is much more in favor of stronger others don't want to see, we heard from senator grassley, much of a change. but the president will try to make some changes, and the white house said that that shows that he's playing along here, and will it go far enough for surveillance critics? no, it will not. >> nearly a dozen people were killed in egypt in the first day of voting on a new constitution. and more than 2 dozen others were hurt in the fighting intense supporters of mohammed morsy. a second day of voting in the morning, and the new charter is widely expected to pass. here from new york, he's a writer for our digital team. and he has covered these uprisings, welcome, evan. and the new constitution provides protections for women and minorities, and it allows the military to pry civilians, and if it passes, what does it say about the egyptian voters and people? >> . >> i think that the important thing here, the egyptians have the constitution before them that they have had since the uprising. the one under morsy was viewed on morsy and the brotherhood and islam in general. and

this is about 50 minutes. >> everyone's welcome back to our table, senator chuck grassley, republicanof iowa. you're the ranking republican in the senate judiciary committee. yesterday you heard from the president's task or city put together on reforms to the nsa surveillance program. i want to share it to the front page of "the new york times" this morning. senator baker and charlie savage has some details about the president's speech that is going to give on friday. mr. obama plans to increase limits on access to telephone data, call for privacy safeguards for foreigners and proposed the creation to represent privacy concerns that a secret intelligence report. what do you think? >> guest: well, i think first of all, more access is very legitimate because i think transparency and more oversight by congress is very important. and if there had been more of that, i don't think we did the uproar now from the grassroots when snowed in -- snowden made public. two things the president might come up with, president advocacy under certain circumstances would be appropriate. if it is in every

senator chuck grassley. >> as much respect you have to have for the office, you still can't respect peoplehred the constitution, and we have to get back to those basic principles of defending the constitution. >> first in the nation gop caucusgoers also want something from the growing field of 2016 contenders to take back the white house in two years. chris christie's controversies in new jersey are big news in iowa where many never got over his conduct with president obama after superstorm sandy before the 2012 election when mitt romney needed christie's help, but new jersey did, too. >> a lot of people are upset because they thought he wasn't as supportive to governor romney as he should have been. a lot of people believe that it was mitt romney's race to lose until he cozied up to the president. >> republicans in iowa and across the country are gearing up for competitive primaries both this year as well as in the 2016 white house race. democrats, on the other hand, are more focused on just not ludzing the u.s. senate majority in the general election, and as for 2016, hillary clinton is

senator grassley twice offered allowents to specifically a employer contribution. last time on march 24, 2010, put up to a t was vote and was defeated by a vote 43-56. so, it was not like this was something that congress didn't this was that something they didn't understand. this was specifically debated rejected. so, what we are talking about law of that this is the the 4r57land. if this administration don't law of the land, they should come to congress to land.e the law of the they should not change it by presidential decree or fiat.ential that is really what brings me to he second part of the reason i'm bringing this lawsuit is to law.ld the rule of i think that this lawsuit will a very long vide overdue check on presidential expanding presidential power particularly with this administration. seeing it and y people will see over the next hree years a real abuse of executive authority by this preside president. primary is one of the reasons i'm bringing this lawsuit. as it ainly have seen it affects the united states senate with the national labor unconstitutiona

>> we try to make sure as senator grassley said to make sure we answer the questions before the next oversight hearing. i don't know how many of the questions have not been responded to. i will have to look into that. >> i think it was a case that none of the questions -- nothing. the answers have been prepared and are under review by the office of management and budget. >> nearly a year later, we still haven't received answers to the questions from the last oversight hearing. i understand we haven't gone through regular order in this place for a while but it's difficult to provide oversight when the answers don't come back. >> that's a fair criticism and we are going to have to do a better job in the department and o.m.b. to get answers to you. >> we'll have some follow-up questions but i would like to have a commitment that you will get back in a timely fashion. >> we'll do better. >> on immigration, i was part of the bipartisan group that put together an immigration bill, i share the president's concern and his desire to get to immigration reform done. let me just tell you in all

. >> senator grassley is going to be joining us. we have a roll call vote expected soon but i want to get this started and then we can, when the oo-- when the vote occurs at some point, we can recess far few minutes while we go and vote. but what's important about this hearing, we're going to hear from the president's review group on intelligence and communications technologies. i was talking briefly with them in the back and i know this is the first time they've appeared together publicly since the groundbreaking report was released last month and i thank them as i know the president has and others have for taking the time, a lot of time and ffort, to prepare this report. and i know it will be reflective of what the president will say later this week. the report addresses some of the weightest issues that will -- weightiest issues that will affect us in the coming years. we know that more and more data will be created by all of us as each day passes. the questions are obvious. when should the government be allowed to collect and us

iowa chuck grassley focused on concerns nsa employees, spying on wives, ex-s, former loved ones. >> can you tell me if anyone at nsa has been prosecuted for this conduct, if they haven't, why they haven't been prosecuteed? >> i think the concern that you raise is a very legitimate one and we will get a response to you in greater detail but the fact that, there were, those referrals but the fact that members of the nsa who have access to this information, access to these techniques, these capabilities would misuse them for, i think you're right as you said in your statement, using them for essentially personal use, being app look to spy on people with whom they had relationships is totally inappropriate. >> reporter: questioning continues at this hour. no major fireworks so far but we will see if that develops. jon? jon: mike emanuel on a capitol hill. mike, thank you. jenna: well the biggest threats facing america right now is the focus of a critical hearing underway on capitol hill. the nation's top intelligence officials are now briefing congress about threats to our national security

charles grassley said he received social security. he was also involved in the farm deal. we are paying for this. when he to think about this. -- we need to think about this. we are paying the same gas prices. up and theis going rich's money has increased. they need to have ethical rules. i am retired. the say anybody working for county, you cannot do business with the county. they need to do the same thing with those politicians. they need to find out how many family members are benefiting out of those bills that are being passed. host: thanks for the call. there is this idea that for all americans, republican and democrat, that is not what really matters. barack obama said in his 2004 ,emocratic convention speech and i think it taps into a deep feeling that many people have, that we should put these partisan differences aside. in washington. people live in a bubble in washington and there is a my team versus your team competitive spirit here that thermines that sense of larger issue of being all- american. ethics, icerns about think a lot of what is hampering congress fr

grassley: i would ask permission to speak for about ten minutes on the yellen nomination. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. grassley: over the past five years the federal reserve has pursued unconventional and unprecedented monetary policy. as vice chair of the federal reserve system, janet yellen has been a strong proponent of those policies. as chair she's likely to continue these same easy-money policies with the same, if not more vigor than the predecessor. i have deep concerns about the long-term effects of pursuing these policies. historical evidence suggests that failing to rein in easy-money policies on a timely basis risks fueling an economic bubble and even hyperinflation. it is true that one of the lessons learned from the great depression of the 1930's was that an overly tight monetary policy in a recession risks economic debilitating deflation. thus understandably when the recession hit in 2008, the fed sought to avoid mistakes of the past by lowering interest rates encouraging investment. however, this expansionary monetary policy cannot continue

grassley: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from iowa. mr. grassley: tomorrow night, we have the state of the union address, and news reports say that one of the things that the president will be talking about is income inequality. that brings me to something i should have spoken on a couple weeks ago because january 8, 2014, marked the 50th anniversary of president johnson's call for a war on poverty. this anniversary provides a time to reflect on and re-evaluate its twin aims of poverty relief and economic opportunity. the goal of poverty relief is to ensure that even those who might find themselves in tough times have a sufficient assistance to meet their basic human needs while lifting themselves out of abject poverty. in other words, we've got to make sure that people have a roof over their heads and food on their table as minimums. the goal of economic opportunity is to ensure the lower rungs on the economic ladder are strong enough to support that climb out of poverty. economic opportunity is another term for the american dream, that t

the next washington journal, republican senator chuck grassley of iowa will discuss the 1.1 trillion dollar spending bill announced on monday and the nsa surveillance programs. we will continue our look at data collection with the california democrat who is a member of the house intelligence committee. that is part of our ongoing spotlight on magazine series. we will talk about his article on possible compromises. >> by 1895, nine different railroads terminated. quite an economic raise. it was very terminal in the southeast, so all that employment. in hat money turning over provided economic stimulus to the growing city of chattanooga. even said there is an amazing , train afterants train after train loaded with grain. there are still a lot of trainities that travel by , and they have to come through chattanooga. >> a look at the history and literary life of chattanooga, tennessee. >> silence any cell phone as a -- >> >> silence any cell phone as -- >> next, a discussion of the economy. >> good morning, everyone. it is my great leisure to welcome you here to the official release of t

>> what we generally try to do is make sure as senator grassley said to answer the questions before the next oversight hearing. i don't know how many of the questions have not been responded to. i will have to look into that. >> i think it was the case in the questions had been -- nothing. >> the answers have been prepared and are under review by the office of management and budget rates be a year later when we come to the next oversight hearing we soever received answers to the questions from the last oversight hearing. i realize we haven't gone through regular order in this place for a while but it's difficult to provide oversight when the answers don't come back >> that's a fair criticism and we obviously have to do a better job both of the department and answer in a more timely manner. >> it would like to have a commitment if you could that you will get back to me in a more timely fashion. >> with regard to one quick question on immigration as part of the bipartisan group that put together an immigration bill i share the president's concern and desire to get immigration reform done.

grassley: mr. president? i would ask, since i just aride on the senate floor -- i would ask, since i just arrived on the senate floor, is it appropriate for me to speak on the judicial nomination we'll be voting on? the presiding officer: the senator may proceed. mr. grassley: okay. we're going to vote on the third of three nominees to the d.c. circuit. today it'll be judge robert wilkins. i'll oppose the judge's nomination, just as i did when the senate rejected the same nomination in november last year. this circuit, of course, is far and away the least busy in the country. this is one of the reasons why the democrats blocked nominees to this very same circuit, based on the very same argument regarding caseload, during the bush administration. there are only two differences between then and now. back then the caseload was even higher, and back then there was a republican in the white house. today, of course, there is a democrat in the white house, a d also a democrat majority here in the senate. so today, b

my colleagues ranging from south dakota, center shiewn, nebraska, senator johanns, iowa, senator grassley, and even ohio representative bob gibbs have all fallen on deaf and stubborn, stubborn ears. our efforts to add market orientation to the price loss coverage subsidy program as well as attempts to end it outright have all been blocked and are certainly not reflected in the final report. i am equally unhappy with the final outcome of the nutrition title of this farm bill. partisan politics has unnecessarily infiltrated this debate with many members on the other side of the aisle drawing a line in the sand at zero savings or real reform to the expensive and unrestricted supplemental nutrition assistance program -- that's called stamps -- it's really the food stamp program. now, facts are subborn things -- now, facts are stubborn things. despite good intentions, snap, food stamps, now? maybe up mornow make up more than 80% of the department of agriculture's budget and was previously exempted from across-the-board sequestration cuts. what we have here today is a ballooning and expensive s

senator grassley twice offered allowents to specifically a employer contribution.last time on march 24, 2010, put up to a t was vote and was defeated by a vote 43-56. so, it was not like this was something that congress didn't this was that something they didn't understand. this was specifically debated rejected. so, what we are talking about law of that this is the the 4r57land. if this administration don't law of the land, they should come to congress to land.e the law of the they should not change it by presidential decree or fiat.ential that is really what brings me to he second part of the reason i'm bringing this lawsuit is to law.ld the rule of i think that this lawsuit will a very long vide overdue check on presidential expanding presidential power particularly with this administration. seeing it and y people will see over the next hree years a real abuse of executive authority by this preside president. primary is one of the reasons i'm bringing this lawsuit. as it ainly have seen it affects the united states senate with the national labor unconstitutional

charles grassley said he received social security. he was also involved in the farm deal.e paying for this. when he to think about this. -- we need to think about this. we are paying the same gas prices. up and theis going rich's money has increased. they need to have ethical rules. i am retired. the say anybody working for county, you cannot do business with the county. they need to do the same thing with those politicians. they need to find out how many family members are benefiting out of those bills that are being passed. host: thanks for the call. there is this idea that for all americans, republican and democrat, that is not what really matters. barack obama said in his 2004 ,emocratic convention speech and i think it taps into a deep feeling that many people have, that we should put these partisan differences aside. in washington. people live in a bubble in washington and there is a my team versus your team competitive spirit here that thermines that sense of larger issue of being all- american. ethics, icerns about think a lot of what is hampering congress from get

i also joined with senator chuck grassley, who's a longtime advocate for oversight of public housing authorities, to send a letter to h.u.d. secretary donovan requesting more answers and documentation regarding the questionable salary and compensation practices at the raleigh housing authority. h.u.d. needs to ensure that taxpayer dollars brg spent appropriately by the r.h.a., and housing authorities across the country. h.u.d. funds are intended for affordable housing for those in need, not for excessive compensation packages. the r.h.a. needs to justify their compensation and salary practices. the audit should publicize how the r.h.a. has spent federal money, how much is wasted and what, how it can do to eliminate further wasteful spending while continuing to fulfill its mission. mr. speaker, government transparency at the r.h.a. is not just important to my home state of north carolina but to all of our government agencies. we are already spending federal money at an unsustainable rate and we need to eliminate areas where taxpayer dollars are being used. if we do not ensure governme

it was written by chuck grassley staffers and max baucus staffers.untry can health care is we paid too much and got too little. since we are paying twice as much as the rest of the industrialized world for our health care, 20% of our dollars go to health insurance companies and in washington, d.c. she said give more money to insurance companies and not less. >> it's so maddening when progresses go oh, this had to be and this is -- you know, the greatest -- you know, the finest of progressive values in america. no. this is a piece of legislation that it started by them going to big -- and striking a big deal and went to the hospitals and struck a secret deal to the white house and they had to admit later on. then they had to strike a deal with the insurance companies and gave the insurance companies a monopo monopoly. >> a guaranteed profit of -- >> in the legislature. >> this is not a progressive piece of legislation. nothing progressive about this piece of legislation. they talk about guaranteeing coverage for 31 million people but did it by strikin