Grassley: Senate Has Undergone ‘Dramatic Change In the Way Business Is Done’ Under GOP Majority

During Saturday’s GOP Weekly Address, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) argued the Senate has undergone a “dramatic change” in the way it does business.

Transcript (via ABC Radio) as Follows: 

“Hi, I’m Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa.

Now consider this.

On the first Senate bill debated in 2015 under a new Republican majority, the Senate considered more amendments, from both sides of the aisle, than the entire previous year under the leadership of Harry Reid.

That is the dramatic change in the way business is done for you.

And it’s working.

As Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I work to make sure that the committee works for all Americans.

So, I adopted an approach to get things done for you-straight from the common sense nature of Iowans.

I decided early on that the Judiciary Committee would spend your taxpayer dollars and our time focusing on areas where we can reach an agreement, rather than on political fights destined for failure.

It’s the right thing to do. And it works.

Every one of the 27 bills passed out of the committee under my leadership has had bipartisan support.

The president has signed 12 of those bills into law.

Our committee’s approach expanded access to justice, prioritized public safety, and demanded accountability from the bureaucracy.

Republicans and Democrats collaborated to enact legislation to help communities heal the wounds of addiction.

We worked to reduce the illicit market for sex trafficking and modern slavery and expanded support for its victims.

We empowered first responders to more safely and effectively answer the call to protect communities.

We protected inventors and entrepreneurs who fuel innovation and job growth that drive the economy of Iowa, and the rest of the nation.

And we expanded government transparency to make the federal government more accountable to the American people.

These are just a few of the bipartisan bills I have led through the committee that have become law.

They are helping Americans from diverse walks of life.

With four months left in this Congress, the Judiciary Committee has already outpaced the previous Congress in bills processed in committee, passed in the Senate and signed into law.

And we’re not done yet.

We’re pushing ahead on legislation for all ages.

We’re making significant progress on a bill to prevent troubled youth from entering a life of crime and steer them towards a path of opportunity and productivity.

And, we’re moving a bill to reduce crimes against seniors by expanding education, prevention and prosecution.

I’ve worked with colleagues to keep better tabs on convicted sex offenders and ensure evidence is properly preserved to improve justice for victims.

I’m working with a diverse group of senators to recalibrate sentences for low-level drug offenders while keeping violent criminals off our streets.

We’ve empowered government whistleblowers in their efforts to tackle fraud, waste and abuse in government.

Whistleblowers know what’s wrong and we ought to listen to them in order to get things fixed.

So, Republicans and Democrats can work together.

Bipartisanship has allowed us to make meaningful progress on good ideas from senators on both sides of the aisle.

This principle has ensured the Republican-led Senate hasn’t wasted time or resources.

Now it’s a formula for representative government that puts us to work for you.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett