History of Chuck Grassley in Timeline
Chuck Grassley is a prominent American politician currently serving as the president pro tempore of the United States Senate, a position he also held from 2019 to 2021. As the senior United States Senator from Iowa, he has served in this role since 1981 and is currently in his eighth term. His extensive tenure in the Senate underscores his significant influence and experience in American politics.
September 17, 1933: Charles Grassley Born
On September 17, 1933, Charles Ernest Grassley was born. He is an American politician who has served as the president pro tempore of the United States Senate.
1948: Referenced Interference in the 1948 Italian election
In February 2017, Grassley referenced the United States' interference in the 1948 Italian election when commenting on Russian interference in U.S. elections.
1951: Graduated High School
In 1951, Chuck Grassley graduated from New Hartford Community High School.
August 22, 1954: Marriage to Barbara Ann Speicher
On August 22, 1954, Grassley married Barbara Ann Speicher, marking a significant event in his personal life.
1955: Earned Bachelor of Arts
In 1955, Chuck Grassley earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Iowa State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Iowa).
1956: Earned Master of Arts
In 1956, Chuck Grassley earned a Master of Arts degree in political science from Iowa State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Iowa).
1959: Served in the Iowa House of Representatives
From 1959 to 1975, Chuck Grassley represented parts of Butler County in the Iowa House of Representatives.
1967: Taught at Charles City College
From 1967 to 1968, Chuck Grassley taught at Charles City College.
1975: Served in the U.S. House of Representatives
From 1975 to 1981, Chuck Grassley served in the United States House of Representatives.
1976: Introduced Measures to Increase Taxation on Americans Abroad
In 1976, Chuck Grassley began repeatedly introducing measures aimed at increasing the level of taxation on American citizens living abroad, including retroactive tax hikes.
1980: Elected to the Senate
In 1980, Chuck Grassley was first elected to the Senate, defeating Democratic incumbent John Culver.
November 1981: Supported David Stockman
In November 1981, Chuck Grassley was among 32 senators who signed a letter to President Reagan supporting Director of the Office of Management and Budget David Stockman.
December 1981: Voted for Hatch's Proposed Abortion Amendment
In December 1981, Grassley voted for a proposed constitutional amendment by Orrin Hatch that would allow both Congress and the states to ban or regulate abortion.
1981: Left the U.S. House of Representatives
In 1981 Chuck Grassley concluded his service in the United States House of Representatives.
1981: Held Public Meetings in All of Iowa's 99 Counties
Since first taking office in 1981, Grassley has held public meetings in all of Iowa's 99 counties each year.
August 1982: Sought Amendment to Radio Marti Bill
In August 1982, Chuck Grassley joined fellow Iowa senator Roger Jepsen and Edward Zorinsky in seeking an amendment to the bill authorizing the creation of Radio Marti, barring the Reagan administration from operating it on commercial AM frequencies.
October 1983: Voted Against Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
In October 1983, Chuck Grassley voted against establishing a legal holiday to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday.
November 1, 1984: Signed Contempt Citation Against Attorney General
On November 1, 1984, Chuck Grassley signed a contempt of Congress citation against Attorney General William French Smith for not turning over files on a Navy shipbuilding investigation.
1986: Reelected to the Senate
In 1986, Chuck Grassley was reelected to the Senate, defeating the Democratic nominee, attorney John P. Roehrick. He won 98 counties, losing Wapello County.
May 1987: Attempt to Hasten Farm Subsidy Payments Defeated
In May 1987, the Senate Appropriations Committee defeated an attempt by Chuck Grassley to hasten payments of corn and other feed grain subsidies.
October 1987: Criticized Reagan's Handling of Bork Nomination
In October 1987, Chuck Grassley criticized President Reagan's handling of Robert Bork's Supreme Court nomination, accusing Reagan of being "asleep at the switch".
January 1989: Questioned Pay Increase
In January 1989, Chuck Grassley questioned how senators could decline federal program increases if they first approved a pay raise for themselves.
1989: Authored the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989
In 1989, Grassley authored the Whistleblower Protection Act, demonstrating his commitment to protecting and supporting whistleblowers.
January 1991: Voted Against Gulf War Resolution
In January 1991, Chuck Grassley was one of two Republican senators to vote against joining the international coalition to force Iraq out of Kuwait.
1992: Reelected to the Senate
In 1992, Chuck Grassley was reelected to the Senate, defeating Democratic State Senator Jean Hall Lloyd-Jones. He won all 99 counties.
1992: Authored EPACT 1992
In 1992, Grassley authored EPACT 1992, which created the federal wind energy tax credit.
July 1993: Last Missed Roll-Call Vote Before Streak
In July 1993, Grassley last missed a roll-call vote, while touring Iowa with President Bill Clinton to survey flood damage. This was the start of his record breaking streak of consecutive roll-call votes.
1994: Continued County Meetings After Losing Honorarium Payments
In 1994, Grassley continued to hold public meetings in all of Iowa's 99 counties, even after losing honorarium payments for them.
July 1998: IRS Restructuring and Reform Act
In July 1998, President Bill Clinton listed Chuck Grassley as one of the members of Congress who had made it possible "for me to sign into law today the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act".
1998: Reelected to the Senate
In 1998, Chuck Grassley was reelected to the Senate, defeating former State Representative David Osterberg. He won all 99 counties.
February 12, 1999: Voted to Convict Bill Clinton
On February 12, 1999, Chuck Grassley was one of 50 senators to vote to convict and remove Bill Clinton from office.
May 2001: Met on Tax Cut Allocation
In May 2001, Chuck Grassley met with Democratic Senator Max Baucus to discuss the allocation of finances in tax cuts, reporting progress on a bipartisan deal.
August 2002: Requested Explanation from United Way
In August 2002, Chuck Grassley sent a letter to the president and chief executive of the United Way of America requesting a detailed explanation of the organization's finances and management.
2003: Received honoris causa membership from University of Northern Iowa
In 2003, Grassley received honoris causa membership in Omicron Delta Kappa from the University of Northern Iowa.
2003: Voted for Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act
In 2003, Grassley voted for the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act, which included provisions for covering end-of-life counseling.
February 2004: Released FBI Misconduct Report
In February 2004, Chuck Grassley released an internal FBI report from 2000, detailing instances of serious misconduct by FBI agents.
2004: Reelected to the Senate
In 2004, Chuck Grassley was reelected to the Senate, defeating former State Senator Arthur A. Small. He won all 99 counties.
2004: Oversight of legislative reforms and accountability of the FDA
In 2009, the National Center for Health Research gave Grassley the Health Policy Hero award for his 2004 oversight of FDA legislative reforms and accountability.
June 28, 2005: Voted for EPACT 2005
On June 28, 2005, Grassley voted for EPACT 2005 when he was chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. He authored the tax title of the bill.
June 28, 2006: Proposed Legislation to Curb Sex Trafficking
On June 28, 2006, Chuck Grassley proposed legislation intended to curb sex trafficking and sexual slavery in the United States through tax law enforcement.
2006: Legislation Increasing Taxes on Americans Abroad
In 2006, Grassley successfully attached an amendment to legislation that increased taxes on Americans living abroad. This targeted housing and living incentives paid by foreign employers, holding Americans accountable for federal taxes even if they did not reside in the U.S.
May 17, 2007: Received lifetime achievement award from National Whistleblower Center
On May 17, 2007, Grassley received a lifetime achievement award from the National Whistleblower Center for his work on whistleblower protection.
June 19, 2007: Helped Expand Tax Incentives for Alternative Energy
On June 19, 2007, Grassley helped expand tax incentives that produces energy 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 Released
In July 2007, a Chuck Grassley-commissioned report was released, alleging that over $1 billion in farm subsidies were sent to deceased individuals.
November 5, 2007: Announced investigation into tax-exempt status of ministries
On November 5, 2007, Grassley announced an investigation into the tax-exempt status of six ministries led by prominent religious figures to determine if funds were inappropriately utilized.
December 6, 2007: Deadline for ministries to comply with Finance Committee request
By the December 6, 2007, deadline, only three of the ministries showed compliance with the Finance Committee's request for financial information.
March 11, 2008: Follow-up letters sent to ministries regarding financial investigations
On March 11, 2008, Grassley and Finance chairman Max Baucus sent follow-up letters to ministries under 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: Led investigation into unreported payments to physicians by pharmaceutical companies
In 2008, Grassley led a Congressional investigation into unreported payments to physicians by pharmaceutical companies, revealing that university psychiatrists failed to report large sums of money received from these companies.
2008: Requested disclosure of drug industry funding to American Psychiatric Association
In 2008, Grassley requested the American Psychiatric Association to disclose the amount of its annual budget that came from drug industry funds.
March 2009: Controversial Comments on AIG Bonuses
In March 2009, amid a scandal involving AIG executives receiving large bonuses from taxpayer-funded bailouts, Grassley suggested that those AIG employees receiving large bonuses should resign immediately or commit suicide. He later dismissed the comments as rhetoric.
May 2009: Cosponsored Flag Burning Amendment
In May 2009, Grassley cosponsored a resolution to amend the US Constitution to prohibit flag burning.
August 12, 2009: "Pull the Plug on Grandma" Comment
On August 12, 2009, at a meeting in Iowa, Grassley responded to a question about end-of-life counseling provisions in the House health care bill by saying people were right to fear that the government would "pull the plug on grandma".
December 2009: Voted Against the Affordable Care Act
In December 2009, Grassley voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (commonly called Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act).
2009: Received Health Policy Hero award
In 2009, the National Center for Health Research gave Grassley the Health Policy Hero award for his 2004 oversight of FDA legislative reforms and accountability.
January 2010: Warning Letter on TSA Nominee Erroll Southers
In January 2010, Grassley was one of seven Senate Republicans to sign a letter warning the White House about their serious reservations with Director of the Transportation Security Administration nominee Erroll Southers due to conflicting accounts Southers gave the Senate.
December 2010: Voted Against New START Treaty
In December 2010, Grassley was one of 26 senators who voted against the ratification of New START, a nuclear arms reduction treaty between the United States and Russian Federation.
2010: Sought Sixth Term in the Senate
In 2010, Chuck Grassley sought a sixth term in the Senate. He was challenged by Democrat Roxanne Conlin, a former United States attorney, and Libertarian John Heiderscheit, an attorney.
2010: "A" Rating from NRA
In 2010, Grassley had an "A" rating from the NRA Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF).
2010: Named one of the hardest-working members of Congress
In 2010, The Hill named Grassley and Max Baucus the hardest-working members of Congress.
2010: Top industries contributing to Grassley
In 2010, according to OpenSecrets, the industries that contributed the most to Grassley's political career were health professionals, the insurance industry, lawyers/law firms, and pharmaceuticals/health products.
July 2012: Missed Only 35 Votes in Senate Career
As of July 2012, Grassley had missed only 35 votes in his Senate career.
April 2013: Opposed Gun Control Amendment
In April 2013, Grassley opposed a gun control amendment authored by Senators Joe Manchin and Pat Toomey, and instead proposed alternative legislation to increase prosecutions of gun violence and increase reporting of mental health data in background checks.
2013: Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 extended other energy tax incentives through 2013.
On June 21, 2007, Grassley voted for the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which expanded other energy tax incentives through 2013.
April 2014: Announced plans to create a Senate caucus for whistleblower protections
In April 2014, Grassley announced plans to create a caucus in the Senate dedicated to strengthening whistleblower protections.
2014: Taxpayer Super Hero
In 2014, Chuck Grassley was called a "Taxpayer Super Hero" by the council for Citizens Against Government Waste.
March 9, 2015: Signed Letter to Iran Regarding Nuclear Deal
On March 9, 2015, Grassley was one of 47 senators to sign 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 to help protect taxpayers from alleged abuses by the Internal Revenue Service. This was in response to alleged inappropriate conduct by IRS employees.
September 2015: Received "Friend of Iowa Wind Energy" Award
In September 2015, Grassley received the Dr. Harold D. Prior "Friend of Iowa Wind Energy" award from the Iowa Wind Energy Association.
November 2015: Cast 12,000th Vote
As of November 2015, Grassley had cast 12,000 votes in the Senate.
2015: Opposed Cannabis Bill
In 2015, Grassley voiced his opposition to a bipartisan senate bill, the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States Act, that would move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule II.
2015: Expressed opposition to same-sex marriage
In 2015, following the Supreme Court's ruling on same-sex marriage, Grassley stated his belief that marriage should be defined as between one man and one woman, criticizing the court's decision.
January 2016: Set Record for Most Times Without Missed Roll-Call Vote
In January 2016, Grassley set a record for the most times without a missed roll-call vote, having not missed one since July 1993.
2016: Sought Seventh Term in the Senate
In 2016, Chuck Grassley sought and won his seventh term in the Senate with over 60% of the vote. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump won Iowa with over 51% of the vote. He won 98 counties, losing Johnson County again.
2016: "A+" Rating from NRA
In 2016, Grassley had an "A+" rating and endorsements from the NRA Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF).
2016: Stated the "American people shouldn't be denied a voice" in the nomination
In 2016, Senate Republicans refused to consider Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. At the time, Grassley said that the "American people shouldn't be denied a voice" in the nomination, which was "too important to get bogged down in politics".
2016: Proposed and Voted on Gun Control Legislation
In 2016, one month after the Orlando nightclub shooting, Grassley proposed legislation to expand state-to-state access to background check data and to make it illegal for government officials to sell criminals guns as part of sting operations. Both proposals were rejected by the Senate. Additionally, he 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 Senator Dianne Feinstein for unilaterally releasing the full transcript of Glenn Simpson's interview, stating it would deter future witnesses in the Russia 2016 investigation.
2016: Investigation into Russian interference in the election
In January 2018, Grassley, along with Lindsey Graham, recommended charges against Christopher Steele, alleging that Steele had lied to federal authorities regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election.
February 2017: Commented on Russian interference in U.S. elections
In February 2017, Grassley commented on Russian interference in U.S. elections, stating that while it was "bothersome", the U.S. had also interfered in other countries' elections.
April 2017: Co-sponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act
In April 2017, Grassley co-sponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act, which aimed to criminalize participation in boycotts against Israel, reflecting his stance on international political issues.
May 2017: Advised people to "Suck it up and move on" after Comey firing
In May 2017, following the firing of FBI director James Comey, Grassley advised people suspicious of the Trump administration to "Suck it up and move on."
July 2017: Commented on Republican Failure to Repeal ACA
In July 2017, Grassley said that Senate Republicans should be ashamed of not having repealed the ACA, and that this could result in a loss of their majority in the 2018 elections.
August 2017: Judiciary Committee Interview with Glenn Simpson
In August 2017, the Judiciary Committee conducted a ten-hour interview with Glenn Simpson.
October 31, 2017: Ignored questions about indictments and left the room
On October 31, 2017, Grassley ignored questions from reporters about recent indictments and left the room.
2017: Comments on the Paris Agreement
In 2017, regarding the Paris Agreement, Grassley said, "unequal terms put the U.S. economy at a significant disadvantage while letting large economies like China’s and India’s off the hook". He also said he didn't like that the Senate had not voted on the agreement.
2017: Grain Commodity Subsidies Received
In 2017, the Environmental Working Group stated that Grassley received $367,763 in grain commodity subsidies over 21 years.
2017: Sponsored Legislation Expanding Firearm Access
In early 2017, Grassley sponsored legislation that expanded access to firearms by mentally disabled individuals. He also commented on the likelihood of gun law changes after the Las Vegas shooting and the need to prevent mentally ill individuals from obtaining firearms after the Douglas High School shooting.
January 2018: Condemned Feinstein for releasing Simpson transcript
In January 2018, Grassley condemned Senator Dianne Feinstein for unilaterally releasing the full transcript of Glenn Simpson's interview, stating it would deter future witnesses in the Russia 2016 investigation.
January 2018: Signed letter requesting preservation of NAFTA
In January 2018, Grassley was among 36 Republican senators who signed a letter to President Trump requesting he preserve the North American Free Trade Agreement by modernizing it.
January 2018: Recommended charges against Christopher Steele
In January 2018, Grassley, along with Lindsey Graham, recommended charges against Christopher Steele, alleging that Steele had lied to federal authorities regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election.
July 2018: Praised Brett Kavanaugh's Nomination
In July 2018, after President Donald Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, Grassley lauded Kavanaugh as "one of the most qualified Supreme Court nominees to come before the Senate".
August 2018: Cosponsored Legislation to Protect ACA Preexisting Conditions
In August 2018, Grassley was one of ten Republican senators to cosponsor legislation intended to protect ACA provisions for people with preexisting conditions.
2018: Net worth reported
According to OpenSecrets, Grassley's net worth was more than $7.5 million as of 2018.
2018: Comments on Women on the Senate Judiciary Committee
In 2018, Grassley suggested that no women were serving on the Senate Judiciary Committee because of the heavy workload. He later added that he would "welcome more women" to serve on the Committee "because women as a whole are smarter than most male senators. And they work real hard, too".
2018: Conservation Measures in Farm Bill
In April 2019, Grassley was one of seven senators to sign a letter urging the Agriculture Department to implement conservation measures in the 2018 Farm Bill.
2018: Commented on Republican Failure to Repeal ACA
In July 2017, Grassley said that Senate Republicans should be ashamed of not having repealed the ACA, and that this could result in a loss of their majority in the 2018 elections.
January 3, 2019: Became Senate's Most Senior Republican
On January 3, 2019, upon the retirement of Orrin Hatch, Chuck Grassley became the Senate's most senior Republican and its president pro tempore.
April 2019: Signed Letter on Conservation Measures in Farm Bill
In April 2019, Grassley was one of seven senators to sign a letter urging the Agriculture Department to implement conservation measures in the 2018 Farm Bill.
October 1, 2019: Defended the whistleblower in the Trump-Ukraine scandal
On October 1, 2019, Grassley defended the whistleblower in the Trump-Ukraine scandal, breaking with his party line, by stating that the whistleblower "appears to have followed the whistleblower protection laws and ought to be heard out and protected".
December 2019: Co-sponsored the SECURE Act of 2019
In December 2019, Grassley co-sponsored the SECURE Act of 2019, which aimed to incentivize retirement planning and expand tax-advantaged savings programs.
December 19, 2019: Criticized EPA Over Renewable Fuel Standard
On December 19, 2019, after the EPA withdrew a new Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) rule, Grassley criticized the EPA for "playing games and not helping President Trump with farmers".
2019: Co-sponsored Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act
In 2019, Grassley co-sponsored reintroducing the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.
2019: Signed letter condemning the BDS movement
In 2019, Grassley was one of 14 Republican senators to sign a letter that involved condemning the BDS movement.
2019: Introduced Cannabidiol and Marijuana Research Expansion Act
In 2019, along with Democratic U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Brian Schatz, Grassley introduced the Cannabidiol and Marijuana Research Expansion Act, which would expand research into medical marijuana.
November 2020: End of Voting Streak Due to COVID-19 Exposure
In November 2020, Grassley's streak of consecutive votes came to an end after over 27 years and 8,927 votes when he quarantined after being exposed to COVID-19.
2020: Supported Prompt Vote on Trump's Supreme Court Nominee
In 2020, after a Supreme Court vacancy arose due to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death, Grassley supported a prompt vote on Trump's nominee, backing the decision of "the current chairman of the Judiciary Committee and the Senate Majority Leader".
2020: SECURE Act became law
In 2020, the SECURE Act of 2019 became law, incentivizing retirement planning.
May 2021: Grassley on Running for Reelection
In May 2021, Chuck Grassley stated that he would not decide whether to run for reelection in 2022 until closer to the election.
May 28, 2021: Voted against an independent commission to investigate the January 6 United States Capitol attack
On May 28, 2021, Grassley voted against creating an independent commission to investigate the January 6 United States Capitol attack.
July 2021: Finkenauer Announces Senate Run
In July 2021, Abby Finkenauer announced she would run for Chuck Grassley's Senate seat, criticizing Grassley and Mitch McConnell.
September 2021: Announced Intention to Run for Eighth Term
In September 2021, Chuck Grassley announced his intention to run for an eighth term in the Senate.
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 aims to prevent Big Tech companies from engaging in anti-competitive behavior.
2021: Response to the January 6th Capitol Attack
In 2021, during the certification of the 2021 United States Electoral College vote count, Grassley was removed from the Senate chamber due to the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Afterwards, he criticized Trump's leadership but opposed impeachment.
November 8, 2022: Won Eighth Term in the Senate
On November 8, 2022, Chuck Grassley won the general election, defeating Democratic nominee Michael Franken and securing his eighth term in the Senate.
2022: Approved of Overturning Roe v. Wade
In 2022, Grassley approved of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, saying it empowered people through their elected representatives to make "commonsense policy decisions".
2022: "A+" Rating from NRA
In 2022, Grassley had an "A+" rating and endorsements from the NRA Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF).
2022: Expressed support to same-sex marriage
In 2022, Grassley said in a statement that he supports same-sex marriage.
January 16, 2024: Hospitalized for infection
On January 16, 2024, Grassley was hospitalized for an infection.
July 21, 2024: Posted criticism of Biden-Harris policies on X
On July 21, 2024, after President Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race, Grassley criticized Biden-Harris policies on X, focusing on border policies and the cost of living.
