Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Chuck Grassley
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Chuck Grassley made an impact.
Chuck Grassley is a prominent American politician and the senior United States Senator from Iowa, a position he has held since 1981. A Republican, he currently serves as the president pro tempore of the Senate, a role he also previously occupied. As the 'dean' of the Senate, he is its longest-serving member. Grassley's extensive tenure reflects a significant career in American politics.
2 days ago : Grassley Faces Iowa Ire Over Trump, Tariffs, and Rule of Law at Town Hall
Senator Chuck Grassley faced intense questioning from Iowans at a town hall regarding Trump's policies, tariffs, and the rule of law. Constituents expressed frustration and disapproval.
1948: Reference to 1948 Italian Election
In February 2017, Grassley referenced the 1948 Italian election, claiming the United States had interfered with it, while commenting on Russian interference in U.S. elections.
1959: Served in Iowa House of Representatives
In 1959, Grassley served in the Iowa House of Representatives, representing parts of Butler County.
1975: Served in US House of Representatives
In 1975, Grassley began serving in the United States House of Representatives.
1980: Elected to the Senate
In 1980, Grassley was first elected to the Senate, defeating Democratic incumbent John Culver.
November 1981: Signed letter supporting David Stockman
In November 1981, Grassley was one of 32 senators to sign a letter to President Reagan supporting Director of the Office of Management and Budget David Stockman.
December 1981: Voted for Proposed Constitutional Amendment on Abortion
In December 1981, Grassley voted for a proposed constitutional amendment by Orrin Hatch that would have allowed both Congress and the states to ban or regulate abortion.
1981: Served in US House of Representatives and became a Senator
In 1981, Grassley concluded his service in the United States House of Representatives and became a senator.
August 1982: Sought Amendment to Radio Marti Bill
In August 1982, Grassley sought an amendment to the Radio Marti bill barring the Reagan administration from operating Radio Marti on commercial AM frequencies.
October 1983: Voted against Martin Luther King Jr. holiday
In October 1983, Grassley voted against establishing a legal holiday to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday.
November 1, 1984: Signed Contempt of Congress Citation
On November 1, 1984, Grassley signed a citation of contempt of Congress against Attorney General William French Smith for not turning over files on a Navy shipbuilding investigation.
1986: Re-elected in 1986
In 1986, Grassley was re-elected to the Senate, defeating Democratic nominee John P. Roehrick. He won 98 counties, losing Wapello County.
May 1987: Failed Attempt to Hasten Feed Grain Subsidies
In May 1987, the Senate Appropriations Committee defeated an attempt by Grassley to hasten payments of corn and other feed grain subsidies ahead of the scheduled payment taking place after October 1.
October 1987: Criticized Reagan Administration
In October 1987, Grassley criticized President Reagan's handling of Robert Bork's Supreme Court nomination and likened groups lobbying against Bork's nomination to McCarthyism.
January 1989: Questioned Senate Pay Raise
In January 1989, as the Senate voted to schedule a vote on a pay increase, Grassley questioned how senators would decline federal program increases.
1989: Author of the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989
In 1989, Grassley authored the Whistleblower Protection Act. Since then, he has campaigned to increase protection and provide support for whistleblowers.
January 1991: Voted Against Joining International Coalition
In January 1991, Grassley was one of only two Republican senators to vote against joining the international coalition to force Iraq out of Kuwait.
August 1991: Joined Select Senate Committee on POW-MIA Affairs
In August 1991, Grassley became one of six Republicans on the Select Senate Committee on POW-MIA Affairs, which investigated the number of Americans still missing in the aftermath of the Vietnam War.
1992: Authored EPACT 1992, Creating Wind Energy Tax Credit
In 1992, Grassley authored EPACT 1992, which created the federal wind energy tax credit.
1992: Re-elected in 1992
In 1992, Grassley was re-elected to the Senate, defeating Democratic state senator Jean Hall Lloyd-Jones. He won all 99 counties.
1994: Continued Public Meetings Despite Honorarium Loss
Even after losing honorarium payments for them in 1994, Grassley has held public meetings in all of Iowa's 99 counties each year since first taking office in 1981.
July 1998: President Clinton Signed Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act
In July 1998, President Bill Clinton recognized Grassley as one of the members of Congress who made it possible for him to sign into law the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act.
1998: Re-elected in 1998
In 1998, Grassley was re-elected to the Senate, defeating former state representative David Osterberg, who won the Democratic nomination unopposed. He won all 99 counties.
February 12, 1999: Voted to Convict and Remove Bill Clinton from Office
On February 12, 1999, Grassley was one of 50 senators to vote to convict and remove Bill Clinton from office.
May 2001: Met with Senator Baucus
In May 2001, Grassley met with Democratic senator Max Baucus to discuss the allocation of finances in tax cuts and reported progress in reaching a bipartisan deal.
August 2002: Requested Explanation from United Way
In August 2002, Grassley sent a letter to the president and chief executive of the United Way of America requesting a detailed explanation on the overseeing of finances and management of the organization's affiliates.
2003: Supported Covering End-of-Life Counseling
In 2003, Grassley voted for the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act, which covered evaluating a beneficiary's need for pain and symptom management, including hospice care, counseling on end-of-life issues and care options, and advising on advanced care planning.
2004: Re-elected in 2004
In 2004, Grassley was re-elected to the Senate, defeating former state senator Arthur A. Small. He won all 99 counties.
2004: Oversight of FDA
In 2004, Grassley's oversight of legislative reforms and accountability of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) led to him receiving the Health Policy Hero award in 2009.
June 28, 2005: Voted for EPACT 2005
On June 28, 2005, Grassley, as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, voted for EPACT 2005, for which he authored the tax title.
June 28, 2006: Proposed legislation intended to curb sex trafficking
On June 28, 2006, Grassley proposed legislation intended to curb sex trafficking and sexual slavery in the United States by means of strict enforcement of tax laws.
2006: Amendment to Legislation Increasing Taxes on Americans Abroad
In 2006, Grassley successfully attached an amendment to legislation that increased taxes on Americans living abroad by targeting housing and living incentives paid by foreign employers. This held them accountable for federal taxes, even if they did not reside in the United States.
June 19, 2007: Helped Expand Tax Incentives for Alternative Energy
On June 19, 2007, Grassley helped expand tax incentives for energy produced from alternative sources, including ethanol, wind, biomass, and biodiesel.
June 21, 2007: Voted for the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
On June 21, 2007, Grassley voted for the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which expanded other energy tax incentives through 2013.
July 2007: Report on Farm Subsidies Sent to Deceased Individuals Released
In July 2007, a report commissioned by Grassley was released, claiming that more than US$1 billion in farm subsidies were sent to deceased individuals.
November 5, 2007: Investigation into Tax-Exempt Status of Ministries Announced
On November 5, 2007, Grassley announced an investigation into the tax-exempt status of six ministries led by Benny Hinn, Paula White, Eddie L. Long, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, and Kenneth Copeland by the United States Senate Committee on Finance.
December 6, 2007: Deadline for Ministries to Comply with Finance Committee Request
By the December 6, 2007, deadline, only three of the ministries under investigation by Grassley's committee had shown compliance with the Finance Committee's request for financial information.
March 11, 2008: Follow-up Letters to Ministries Regarding Finances
On March 11, 2008, Grassley and Finance chairman Max Baucus sent follow-up letters to Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar and Eddie Long, explaining that the Senate reserved the right to investigate the finances of their organizations under federal tax laws.
2008: Investigation into Unreported Payments to Physicians
In 2008, Grassley led a Congressional investigation that found university psychiatrists, who promoted psychoactive drugs, had violated federal and university regulations by secretly receiving large sums from pharmaceutical companies. He also alleged that Alan Schatzberg underreported investments in Corcept Therapeutics.
2008: Request for APA to Disclose Drug Industry Funds
In 2008, Grassley requested the American Psychiatric Association to disclose how much of its annual budget came from drug industry funds. The APA reported that industry contributed 28% of its budget ($14 million), through advertising and medical education funds.
May 2009: Cosponsored Resolution to Amend the US Constitution to Prohibit Flag Burning
In May 2009, Grassley cosponsored a resolution to amend the US Constitution, seeking to prohibit flag burning.
December 2009: Voted Against Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
In December 2009, Grassley voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act), after notifying President Obama that he would vote against it even with his proposed modifications.
January 2010: Letter Warning White House About TSA Nominee
In January 2010, Grassley was one of seven Senate Republicans who signed a letter warning the White House about their reservations concerning Transportation Security Administration nominee Erroll Southers due to conflicting accounts Southers gave about his past use of databases to get information about his ex-wife's boyfriend.
December 2010: Voted Against New START Nuclear Arms Reduction Treaty
In December 2010, Grassley was among 26 senators who voted against the ratification of New START, a nuclear arms reduction treaty between the United States and Russia, which aimed to limit both countries to no more than 1,550 strategic warheads and 700 launchers, while continuing on-site inspections.
2010: Largest Contributors to Grassley's Political Career
According to OpenSecrets, in 2010, the industries that have been the largest contributors to Grassley during his political career are health professionals ($1 million in contributions), insurance industry ($997,674), lawyers/law firms ($625,543) and pharmaceuticals/health products ($538,680).
2010: Sought Sixth Term
In 2010, Grassley sought a sixth term in the Senate. He was challenged by Democrat Roxanne Conlin and Libertarian John Heiderscheit.
April 2013: Opposed Gun Control Amendment, Proposed Alternative Legislation
In April 2013, Grassley opposed a gun control amendment by senators Joe Manchin and Pat Toomey. Instead, he proposed alternative legislation to increase prosecutions of gun violence and enhance reporting of mental health data in background checks.
April 2014: Announcement of Senate Whistleblower Protection Caucus
In April 2014, Grassley announced plans to create a caucus in the Senate dedicated to strengthening whistleblower protections.
March 9, 2015: Signed Letter to Iran Rebuking Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
On March 9, 2015, Grassley was among 47 senators who signed a letter to Iran, led by Tom Cotton, to rebuke the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
June 2015: Introduced Legislation to Protect Taxpayers from IRS Abuses
In June 2015, Grassley introduced legislation aimed at protecting taxpayers from alleged abuses by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in response to reported inappropriate conduct by IRS employees, but the legislation was opposed by Democrats.
2015: Opposition to Bipartisan Senate Bill on Cannabis
In 2015, Grassley voiced his opposition to a bipartisan senate bill, the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States Act. This bill aimed to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule II, allowing states with medical cannabis laws to legally prescribe it and enabling more research into its medical efficacy.
2015: Statement on Same-Sex Marriage Ruling
In 2015, after the Supreme Court ruled same-sex marriage bans unconstitutional in Obergefell v. Hodges, Grassley released a statement expressing his belief that marriage should be between one man and a woman, criticizing the court for not leaving the issue to the states.
January 2016: Set Record for Most Consecutive Roll-Call Votes Without a Miss
In January 2016, Grassley set a record for the most times without a missed roll-call vote, not having missed one since July 1993.
2016: Sought Seventh Term
In 2016, Grassley sought a seventh term in the Senate. He won his seventh term with over 60% of the vote as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump won Iowa with over 51% of the vote.
2016: Senate Republicans Refused to Consider Obama's Supreme Court Nomination
In 2016, Senate Republicans, including Grassley, refused to consider Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, arguing that the American people should have a voice in the nomination.
2016: Proposed and Voted on Gun Control Legislation After Orlando Shooting
In 2016, following the Orlando nightclub shooting, Grassley proposed legislation to expand access to background check data and prohibit government officials from selling guns to criminals in sting operations, but both proposals were rejected by the Senate. He also voted against the Democrats' Feinstein Amendment and a Republican-sponsored bill that expanded funding for background checks.
2016: Russia 2016 Investigation
In January 2018, Grassley condemned Dianne Feinstein for releasing the transcript of an interview related to the Russia 2016 investigation, stating that it deters future witnesses.
2016: Russian Interference in the 2016 Election
In January 2018, Grassley was involved in the first known congressional criminal referral in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, recommending charges against Christopher Steele.
February 2017: Comments on Russian Interference
In February 2017, Grassley commented on Russian interference in U.S. elections, stating it was "bothersome" but also noted that the United States had interfered in other countries' elections, citing the 1948 Italian election as an example.
April 2017: Co-sponsorship of the Israel Anti-Boycott Act
In April 2017, Grassley co-sponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act (s. 720), which aimed to make it a federal crime for Americans to encourage or participate in boycotts against Israel and Israeli settlements in the West Bank if protesting actions by the Israeli government.
May 2017: Advice Following Comey Firing
In May 2017, after Trump fired FBI director James Comey, Grassley advised people suspicious of the Trump administration to "Suck it up and move on."
August 2017: Judiciary Committee Interview with Glenn Simpson
In August 2017, the Judiciary Committee conducted a ten-hour interview with Glenn Simpson, co-founder of Fusion GPS. In January 2018, Dianne Feinstein unilaterally released the full transcript of the interview.
October 31, 2017: Ignoring Questions Regarding Recent Indictments
On October 31, 2017, while a group of Republicans faced questions from reporters about recent indictments, Grassley ignored the questions and left the room.
2017: Sponsored Legislation Expanding Firearm Access and Comments on Gun Laws
In early 2017, Grassley sponsored legislation that expanded access to firearms by mentally disabled individuals. Following the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, he stated that gun laws were unlikely to change. After the Douglas High School shooting, he said the government had not done enough to prevent the mentally ill from obtaining firearms.
January 2018: Request to Preserve NAFTA
In January 2018, Grassley was one of 36 Republican senators who signed a letter to President Trump requesting he preserve the North American Free Trade Agreement by modernizing it for the 21st-century economy.
January 2018: Criminal Referral of Christopher Steele
In January 2018, Grassley, along with Lindsey Graham, recommended charges against Christopher Steele, who sought to expose Russian interference, for allegedly lying to federal authorities. It was the first known congressional criminal referral in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
January 2018: Condemnation of Feinstein for Releasing Transcript
In January 2018, after Senator Dianne Feinstein released the full transcript of Glenn Simpson's interview, Grassley condemned her decision, calling it "confounding" and saying it deterred future witnesses in the Russia 2016 investigation.
July 2018: Praised Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court Nomination
In July 2018, after President Donald Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, Grassley praised Kavanaugh as highly qualified and suggested critics temper their confidence in how he would vote based on past voting surprises by other members of the Court.
August 2018: Cosponsored Legislation to Protect ACA Provisions for Preexisting Conditions
In August 2018, Grassley was one of ten Republican senators to cosponsor legislation aimed at protecting ACA provisions for individuals with preexisting conditions. However, health experts suggested the bill did not effectively prevent insurers from excluding coverage for such conditions.
April 2019: Signed Letter Urging Implementation of Conservation Measures in Farm Bill
In April 2019, Grassley joined six other senators in signing a letter led by Debbie Stabenow and Joni Ernst to Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, urging the Agriculture Department to implement conservation measures in the 2018 Farm Bill.
October 1, 2019: Defense of Trump-Ukraine Whistleblower
On October 1, 2019, Grassley defended the whistleblower in the Trump–Ukraine scandal, stating the whistleblower "appears to have followed the whistleblower protection laws and ought to be heard out and protected".
December 2019: Lead Senate Co-Sponsor of the SECURE Act of 2019
In December 2019, Grassley was one of the lead Senate co-sponsors of the SECURE Act of 2019. This bill became law as part of the fiscal year 2020 federal appropriations law.
2019: Signing a letter condemning the BDS movement
In 2019, Grassley was one of 14 Republican senators to sign a letter from Marco Rubio that involved condemning the BDS movement.
2019: Introduction of Cannabidiol and Marijuana Research Expansion Act
In 2019, Grassley, along with Democratic U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Brian Schatz, introduced the Cannabidiol and Marijuana Research Expansion Act, which aimed to expand research into medical marijuana.
2020: Supported Prompt Vote on Trump's Supreme Court Nominee
In 2020, following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and a Supreme Court vacancy, Grassley supported a prompt vote on President Trump's nominee, backing the decision of the Judiciary Committee chairman and the Senate Majority Leader.
2020: SECURE Act becomes law
In 2020, the SECURE Act of 2019, of which Grassley was a lead co-sponsor, became law as part of the fiscal year 2020 federal appropriations law. The bill incentivizes retirement planning, diversifies options for savers, and increases access to tax-advantaged savings programs, including 529 plans.
May 2021: Decision on running for re-election delayed
In May 2021, Grassley said that he would not decide whether to run for reelection in 2022 until between eight and 12 months before the election.
May 28, 2021: Vote Against Independent Commission for Capitol Attack Investigation
On May 28, 2021, Grassley voted against creating an independent commission to investigate the January 6 United States Capitol attack.
July 2021: Abby Finkenauer Announced Senate Run
In July 2021, former U.S. representative Abby Finkenauer announced that she would run for the Senate seat regardless of Grassley's decision.
September 2021: Grassley Announced Intention to Run for Eighth Term
In September 2021, Grassley announced his intention to run for an eighth term, which was viewed as advantageous to Republicans seeking to hold his seat and retake the Senate majority in 2022.
October 2021: Introduced American Innovation and Choice Online Act
In October 2021, Grassley and Senator Amy Klobuchar introduced the American Innovation and Choice Online Act (S.2992), which aimed to prevent anti-competitive behavior by Big Tech companies that "self-preference" their own products.
November 8, 2022: Won General Election
On November 8, 2022, Grassley won the general election, defeating Democratic nominee Michael Franken.
2022: Approved Overturning of Roe v. Wade
In 2022, Grassley approved of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, stating that it empowered people to make "commonsense policy decisions" through their elected representatives.
2022: Statement of support for same-sex marriage, vote against Respect for Marriage Act
In 2022, Grassley stated his support for same-sex marriage, however, he voted against the Respect for Marriage Act, citing religious liberty concerns and deemed the legislation unnecessary.
2022: Possible re-election run in 2022
In 2022, Grassley was considering if he should run for re-election.
July 21, 2024: Comments on Biden's Withdrawal from 2024 Presidential Race
On July 21, 2024, after President Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race, Grassley posted on X (formerly Twitter) criticizing Biden-Harris policies and the Democratic agenda.
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