Earmarks should be shared fairly, Senator Grassley says

CEDAR RAPIDS (MCT) — Sen. Chuck Grassley would be comfortable if there were no earmarks in the federal budget process. Until that’s Senate policy, however, the Iowa Republican will continue to seek earmarks for Iowa priorities, he said in a wideranging interview with The Gazette Editorial Board on Monday. On a related issue, Grassley promised that the Iowa congressional delegation will ‘do battle’ with the Army Corps of Engineers to make sure it gives ‘fair consideration’ to Cedar Rapids’ argument for flood protection on both sides of the Cedar River. The Corps’ current plan would not protect the west side of the community. He also endorsed the Obama administration’s pursuit of rules that would limit concentration in the livestock industry, including the egg industry.

“I’ve been asking secretaries of agriculture, Republican and Democrat, to use the Packer and Stockyards Act that is probably stronger than antitrust laws for agriculture, to be doing something,” Grassley said. “And I see this administration finally doing something in that area.” However, he doesn’t see a need for new laws regulating the egg industry. New rules issued last month by the Food and Drug Administration should prevent new cases of salmonella in eggs, he said.

“It’s necessary the government play a very leading role making sure the food supply is safe” to protect both consumers and farmers, Grassley said, “because if consumers don’t have confidence in our food supply, it will affect profitability of farmers. It goes to the benefit of the farmer as well as the consumer.”

Grassley, long known as a fiscal conservative, has supported changing Senate rules to eliminate earmarks — the practice setting aside funds for a specific project or recipient. House Republicans have adopted that position, he said, but the Senate GOP had an “inconclusive”debate on the topic.

So until earmarks are banned, Grassley plans to make sure Iowa gets its share.

“I’ve said to the people of Iowa that they deserve a level playing field,” Grassley said. “If we have no earmarks, that’s a level playing field. If we’re going to have earmarks ... Iowans pay taxes, and it’s a case of Iowans getting back some of their tax money or that same amount is going to be spent in some other state.”