mr. grassley: i didn't realize i had time to speak. mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from iowa. mr. grassley: how much time is there before we vote? employment there is five minutes. mr. grassley: okay. i rise to speak about the 2014 farm bill and attempts to change it by members of this congress. the farm bill process was long, hard and frustrating process. nobody got everything they wanted. i believe our country needs good farm policy, which means an adequate, yet limited safety net for farmers. our farmers face real uncontrollable risks every year. the farm bill provides farmers with a number of programs. they help mitigate those risks. that is why i was very concerned when i learned that the budget deal was cutting $3 billion from the federal crop insurance program. that cut would have forced the risk management agency at usda to renegotiate the standard reinsurance agreement next year and save $300 million. these cuts were almost universally opposed by rural america. lenders, commodity groups, input suppliers and many others opp

mr. grassley: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from iowa. mr. grassley: at 1:30 a.m. wednesday morning, an omnibus appropriations bill was filed to keep government operating for the remainder of this fiscal year. this bill which will be voted on by the house on friday includes a straight and clean extension of a program called the eb-5 immigration waiver investor program. this program has been plagued with fraud and abuse. but more importantly, it poses significant national security risk. allegations suggesting the eb-5 program may be facilitating terrorist travel, economic espionage, money laundering and investment, fraud are too serious of warnings against this bill to ignore. yet, they're being ignored. the omnibus bill then fails to include much-needed reforms. the spending bill being considered by the house and senate then is a major disappointment. i'm frustrated that despite the alarm bells and whistle-blower warnings, warning us in congress about the eb-5 program, republican and democrat leadership in the house and senate decided to simply extend the program w

mr. grassley: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from iowa. mr. grassley: i thank my colleagues for their commendation to the 150th anniversary of the university of iowa college of law. this makes it the first law school west of the mississippi to reach that milestone. in the past 150 years, the college of law has served the people of iowa, the nation, and the world, and i'm pleased, along with my colleague senator ernst, that that resolution congratulates the college of law on it's accomplishments. i've been honored to attend some of the events celebrating iowa law this past year and the law school should be proud of its fast history of achievements. it's the oldest law school west of the mississippi river, and it's produced generations of attorneys that have been dedicated to improving and enhancing the practice of law in iowa and throughout the nation. currently iowa law has over 10,000 living alumni that practice in iowa and around the world. iowa was the first state to admit a woman to the practice of law. iowa law followed this tradition when

mr. grassley: madam president, i'd like to recognize the iowa governor terry branstad on a very significant historical milestone. on december 14, this year, governor branstad will become the longest serving governor in the nation's history. he happens to break a record set by a governor clinton of new york in the early parts of our country, even before our country's constitution was established. between the articles of confederation into the early years of new york as a state in the united states of america. that's a pretty large feather in the cap of a farm kid from the town of leland, population 289 in winnebago county, northern iowa. in many ways, a small town farm background prepared terry branstad for his success as a state house member, lieutenant governor and then governor on two separate occasions, adding up to if he finishes this term, and he will, 24 years as governor. the farm crisis of the 1980's hit every farm state hard in iowa at the heart of the nation's bread basket suffered deeply. all of us who lived in iowa at that time saw friends and neighbors lose their family farms a

mr. grassley: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from iowa. a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from oregon. mr. wyden: mr. president, i would just ask unanimous consent that i follow senator grassley after he's completed his remarks. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. the senator from iowa.@ mr. grassley: i come to the floor because we're discussing obamacare on the reskil reconcin bill. webster's dictionary defiance the word "success" as the correct or desired result of an attempt. so i want to discuss the definition of the word "success" as we consider repeal of obamacare. on the day the bill was signed into law, president obama said the following following -- quoty we're affirming that essential trunnel, a truth that every generation is called to rediscover for itself, that we are not a nation that scales back our aspirations." end of quote. such grand words for where we are today with obamacare today the success of the law that now

mr. grassley for your leadership and your commitment to oversight to ensure that we work for the american people and we respond to the congressional representatives. although the administration is removing few were aliens the focus of today is the interior that is an alarming development and contrary to the claims of the administration. members have made public statements of limited enforcement resources. it has normal enforcement's although falling significantly to remove criminal aliens is strengthened we're focusing on limited resources with people convicted of crimes not just those looking at income. and the president said on november 20th to keep the enforcement resources and actual threats and on the criminals not families or children but to have executive amnesty for lawful permanent residence but since we cannot possibly remove everyone congress rejects my proposals and to allow for an example to give work permits and social security numbers to focus solely on removing criminals as we will establish today the number of removals' of criminal aliens from the interior has decrease si

startling 1:31 stephanie: senator chuck grassley invited mr. wilson to testify at this senate judiciary subcommittee hearing. they're investigating any antitrust issues. it's still a "possible deal", which still needs regulator approval. it's a run on rose bowl tickets. tickets released to the public this morning were snatched up within minutes on ticketmaster.co m. some hawkeye fans even claim they couldn't get tickets 30 seconds after they were released. meanwhile the price for tickets on stubhub swelled to 581 dollars by mid- morning. iowa season ticket holders have until thursday night to sign up for tickets through the university. next week the hawkeyes will distribute their allotment of 22,000 tickets based on a point system. the hawkeyes play stanford in the rose bowl in pasadena, california, on january 1. jack: and another bit of hawkeye news to pass along. university of iowa head football coach kirk ferentz has been named the 2015 woody hayes coach of the year. the announcement was made tuesday by the touchdown club of columbus. the aw

mr. purser. >> thank you. chairman grassley, chairman lee, ranking member klobuchar and distinguished members of the subcommittee on behalf of the nation's independent beer distributors ask shirt 133,000 employees, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. there is no question that america is in a golden age for beer with unprecedented variety and quality offered by more than 4,000 breweries compared to fewer than 50 in the 1980s. sales by craft brewers grew nearly 18% in 2014, representing more than 11% of the beer market. you would be hard pressed to identify another industry that has experienced the same explosive growth in such a short period of time. the true winner is the american consumer who enjoys a broad spectrum of innovative independently produced beer products for every taste. but what makes this consumer choice possible? the answer, robust and competitive system of independent distribution. independent distributors or wholesalers provide access to market for brewers of all sizes. they create a competitive pl

mr. branstad on making history. grassley - you've earned your place in history by willingness to serve and to lead. boswell - i don't care if you're independent, republican, democrat, or something else. this is a great occasion thta we all ought to be proud this has happened. sabrina: branstad's new biography was at every place setting in the room. proceeds will go to help efforts in the state that are preserving and promoting iowa's history. sabrina: monday, iowa fans learned whether or not they would get a ticket to the rose bowl... the university to the game....but almost 55- thousand requests were put in. this is the first trip to the rose bowl since 1991, and its no secret that hawkeye fans travel. with so many people requesting ticketsthere are sure to be some broken hearts. local five spoke with a fan in iowa city who got the good news that he'd be inside the rose bowl for the new years day game. but wonders how they determine who got the best tickets. "(ethan diehl) my parents had season tickets for like 35 years and

mr. branstad on making history. grassley - you've earned your place in history by willingness to serve and to lead. boswell - i don't care if you're independent, republican, democrat, or something else. this is a great occasion thta we all ought to be proud this has happened. sabrina: every place setting in the room. every place setting in the room. proceeds will go to help efforts in the state that are preserving and promoting iowa's history. sabrina at ((time check)) we'll take a short break, but still have lots more good morning iowa ahead... coming up, a look at how star wars has inspired a new type of workout! sabrina: but first...for those traveling into polk county...be safe this morning... the sheriff's office has automated traffic enforcement vehicles at two locations.... one at the ...72- hundred block of northwest 26th street and a second at the ...49-hundred block of northwest beaver drive so take care on the roads today... sabrina let's also get a quick look at traffic... this is i-235 at valley west... [current

mr. purser. >> thank you. chairman grassleychairman lee, ranking member klobuchar and distinguished members of the committee on behalf of the nation's independent beer distributors ask shirt 133,000 employees, thank you to for the opportunity to testify today. there is no question that america is in a golden age for beer with unprecedented variety and quality offered more than 4,000 breweries compared to fewer than 50 in the 1980s. sales by craft brewers grew nearly 18% in 2014, representing more than 11% of the beer market. you would be hard pressed to identify another industry that has experienced the same explosive growth in such a short period of time. the true winner is the american consumer who enjoys a broad spectrum of innovative independently produced beer products for every taste. but what makes this consumer choice possible? the answer, robust and competitive system of independent distribution. independent distributors or wholesalers provide access to market for brewers of all sizes. they create a competitive playing

mr. chairman. i want to follow up on a question that senator grassley asked you. it is about the fbi be notified wasomebody on a no-fly list by 11. if they buy it at a gun show for there is no reporting, you're not going to find it are you? mr. comey: that is correct. at gun dealer,it there is not an awful at you can do about it? mr. comey: not unless we find some disqualifier. the president -- statement -- thatresident's statement anyone can my a gun on a no-fly list is correct wester? right after you confirmed, you anded about sequestration counterterrorism. i agree with what you said. still in theyou're process of trying to replace all the agents? mr. comey: correct. we are trying to dig into that hole. you to hire them, train them, -- i don'tuestration to put words into your mouth, that is that having a long-term affect on the fbi possibility to fight terrorism? mr. comey: yes. >> will be the impact if the fbi cannot come to an agreement of bill.nibus agreement mr. comey: if we return to the impact of sequestration when i started this job, it would be a disast

mr. chairman. i want to follow up on a question that senator grassley asked you about the fbi being notified if somebodyn a no fly list or that type of list was buying a weapon. if they buy it at a gun show where there's no reporting, you are not notified, are you? >> that's correct. >> and if they buy it on an internet sale, you are not notified, are you? >> correct. >> and if they go to a gun dealer who has to notify you, but there's not a lot you can do about it, is that correct? >> unless we find some disqualifier. under the law. if we don't find one of those things, there's nothing we can do to stop it. >> so the president's statement, somebody on a no fly list or on the watch list can go and buy weapons in the united states is correct? >> there's no prohibition connected to the no fly list, that's correct. >> thank you very much. i wanted to make sure that was clear. you talked right after you were confirmed, you spoke about the detrimental impact of sequestration, a hiring freeze on criminal and counterterrorism investigations. i happen to agree very much with what you said. i understand you are

mr. wilson said he can give a small business perspective on the possible impact of a proposed acquisition on the marketplace and the american consumer. >> thank you, senator grassley. diana moss became the president of the american antitrust 2015.ute in january her work spans antitrust and regulation with industry expertise in electricity, petroleum, agriculture, and health care. , she was aing aai senior staff economist at the federal regulatory commission where she could and needed competition analysis for electricity mergers. from 1989 to 19 84, she consulted in private practice in the areas of regulation and antitrust at the national economic research association. dr. moffat spoken widely on various topics on antitrust and testified before congress, appeared before stay in regulatory commissions, and made numerous radio and television appearances. she has published articles in a number of economic and legal academic articles. she is editor of network access regulation and antitrust. at theadjunct faculty university of colorado at boulder. she has an ma degree from university of denver and the phd from the colorado school. next has spent the last 32 years -- mr

mr. wilson said he can give a small business perspective on the possible impact of a proposed acquisition on the marketplace and the american consumer. >> thank you, senator grassley. diana moss became the president of the american antitrust 2015.ute in january her work spans antitrust and regulation with industry expertise in electricity, petroleum, agriculture, and health care. , she was aing aai senior staff economist at the federal regulatory commission where she could and needed competition analysis for electricity mergers. from 1989 to 19 84, she consulted in private practice in the areas of regulation and antitrust at the national economic research association. dr. moffat spoken widely on various topics on antitrust and testified before congress, appeared before stay in regulatory commissions, and made numerous radio and television appearances. she has published articles in a number of economic and legal academic articles. she is editor of network access regulation and antitrust. at theadjunct faculty university of colorado at boulder. she has an ma degree from university of denver and the phd from the colorado school. next has spent the last 32 years -- mr

mr. chairman. i want to follow up on a question that senator grassley asked you about the fbi being notified if somebodyn a no fly list or that type of list was buying a weapon. if they buy it at a gun show where there's no reporting, you are not notified, are you? >> that's correct. >> and if they buy it on an internet sale, you are not notified, are you? >> correct. >> and if they go to a gun dealer who has to notify you, but there's not a lot you can do about it is that correct? >> unless we find some disqualifier. under the law. if we don't find one of those things, there's nothing we can do to stop it. >> so the president's statement somebody on a no fly list or on the watch list can go and buy weapons in the united states is correct? >> there's no prohibition connected to the no fly list that's correct. >> thank you very much. i wanted to make sure that was clear. you talked right after you were confirmed, you spoke about the detrimental impact of sequestration, a hiring freeze on criminal and counterterrorism investigations. i happen to agree very much with what you said. i understand you are sti

mr. grassley: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from iowa. mr. grassley: i want to call up grassley amendment numbered 2914. the presiding officer: the dlerk will -- clerk will report. the clerk: the senator from nebraska, mr. grassley, propose- mr. grassley: that's enough reading. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. grassley: now, you're going to be voting on the manchin-toomey amendment pretty soon. that amendment won't prevent -- the presiding officer: the senator will suspend. order, please. take your conversations off the floor. mr. grassley: i assume my minute starts over. the manchin-toomey amendment that's going to be up next, i'm told, won't prevent the next shooting or reduce crime or fix our mental health system. we need to also be worried about protecting the second amendment. my amendment addresses the obama administration's reduction in gun prosecutions by providing money to expand project exile and funding for prosecuting felons and fugitives who fail background checks and targeted -- then we target that to the highest cri

mr. grassley: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from iowa. mr. grassley: on this side, we yield back all of our time. and, mr. president, as well, the pending amendment number 2908 contains matter that is not within the jurisdiction of finance or help committees and is extraneous to this important bill, h.r. 3762, the reconciliation bill. therefore, i raise a point of order against this measure pursuant to section 303-b-1-c of the congressional budget act, 1974. mr. manchin: mr. president? mr. president, pursuant to section 904 of the congressional budget act of 1974, i move to waive all applicable sections of that act for purposes of the pending amendment, and i ask for the yeas and naysmen nays. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk shall call the roll. vote: vote: the presiding officer: are there any senators in the chamber wishing to vote or change their vote? seeing none, on this vote, the yeas are 47, the nays are 50. three-fifths of the senators duly chosen and sworn not having voted in the affi

mr. president, for information for my colleagues, i expect that the next amendments in order after those will be grassley 4914 followed by manchin number 2908, but that's not locked in yet. the presiding officer: the senate is not in order. the senate is not in order. a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from new hampshire. mrs. shaheen: i call up amendment 2892. the presiding officer: op op. the clerk: the senator from new hampshire, mrs. shaheen, for herself and others proposes an amendment numbered 2892 to amendment number 2874. mrs. shaheen: mr. president, i ask that further reading be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mrs. shaheen: mr. president, we are facing a public health emergency. in new hampshire and states across the country heroin and opioid are at epidemic levels. the senate is not in order. the presiding officer: the senate will be in order. mrs. shaheen: this is important because it affects every state that's represented here on the senate floor, because each day 120 americans die of drug overdoses. that is two deaths every hour. in new ham