Sen. Chuck Grassley announces the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act. (Photo courtesy of Sen. Grassley's YouTube channel)
In this week性视界传媒檚 D.C. Dispatch, Sen. Chuck Grassley touted provisions in the 性视界传媒渙ne, big, beautiful bill性视界传媒 that would increase funding for law enforcement and immigration agencies.
Meanwhile, a coalition of nonprofit organizations is seeking changes to the bill, and Iowa delegation members also addressed proposals this week dealing with fentanyl trafficking, violent crime, federal benefit fraud and more.
Immigration, law enforcement funding
Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the text Thursday for the panel性视界传媒檚 provisions in the Senate性视界传媒檚 version of the budget reconciliation legislation. The provisions seek to increase funding for immigration agencies, reimburse states for immigration-related expenses, provide additional funding to law enforcement agencies, impose additional fees on immigration applications, and hire additional Department of Justice attorneys to challenge universal injunctions.聽
The immigration agencies expected to receive additional funding under this bill are the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Justice. Funding is distributed with the intention of increasing the staffing in these agencies.聽
The Bridging Immigration-related Deficits Experienced Nationwide Reimbursement Fund seeks to reimburse states for funds spent on 性视界传媒investigation, location, apprehension or temporary detention性视界传媒 of unauthorized immigrants.聽
Under the new provisions, additional funding will also be allocated to expand resources to police and law enforcement officers. Funding will be allocated to the Bureau of Prisons for 性视界传媒渃apital improvements to detention structures性视界传媒 and increased staff. Additional funding will be allocated to law enforcement training centers, the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, Community Oriented Policing Services and the 287(g) program. The 287(g) program allows non-ICE law enforcement agencies to enforce certain aspects of U.S. immigration law.
Outside of increased funding, the provisions will require courts to publish metrics on the frequency of universal injunctions, establishing judicial training programs on the impact of universal injunctions and requiring that courts impose a bond upfront when litigants seek a preliminary injunction. A universal injunction is a federal court decision that blocks the government from enforcing a law or policy nationwide.
Iowa nonprofits ask Sens. Ernst and Grassley to reconsider provisions in joint letter
The Iowa Nonprofit Alliance and 96 other Iowa nonprofit organizations wrote a joint letter addressed to Grassley and Sen. Joni Ernst urging them to reconsider provisions outlined in budget reconciliation bill approved by the House.聽
The specific provisions addressed in the letter were budget cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Pell Grant reductions, changes to charitable deductions and new tax burdens on nonprofits. The letter argues the budget cuts will 性视界传媒渉arm Iowa families性视界传媒 and simultaneously 性视界传媒渋ncrease pressure on community-based nonprofits性视界传媒 seeking to fill the space. Over 730,000 Iowans rely on Medicaid and SNAP with one-third of them reliant on both programs.
They also argue the reduction to Pell grants come at a time when Iowa is 性视界传媒渟truggling to fill essential jobs,性视界传媒 and the cuts will make higher education less accessible, 性视界传媒渨eakening the economy in the long run.性视界传媒
The letter said these organizations were 性视界传媒渁larmed性视界传媒 by proposals to cap or lessen universal charitable deduction and impose new taxes on nonprofits and foundations. They argue these changes would 性视界传媒渞educe donations, divert resources away from essential services, and undermine our ability to serve our communities,性视界传媒 at a time with increased demand for nonprofits and with demand expected to increase if the bill is passed.
性视界传媒淣onprofits are not just service providers性视界传媒攚e are employers, community hubs, and often the last line of support for people in crisis,性视界传媒 said Alex Rice, executive director of Iowa Nonprofit Alliance, in a press release. 性视界传媒淲e ask our senators to stand with Iowa性视界传媒檚 communities and the organizations working every day to support them.性视界传媒
Fentanyl enforcement bill passes through Congress
Bipartisan legislation to permanently classify 性视界传媒渇entanyl-related性视界传媒 substances as Schedule I drugs headed to the president性视界传媒檚 desk after passing the U.S. House Thursday on a vote of 321-104.
Grassley led the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act, with Sens. Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana and Martin Heinrich, a Democrat from New Hampshire, according to a news release.聽
Schedule I drugs are classified as 性视界传媒渄rugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse, rendering drugs in this category effectively illegal for anything outside of research, with few exceptions.
According to the , synthetic opioids like fentanyl made up for 68% of overdose deaths in 2022.
性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檓 proud to see Republicans take real action to combat the fentanyl crisis, advance life-saving research and support our brave men and women in blue,性视界传媒 Grassley said.
Ernst bill targets foreign-led crimes
A bill sponsored by Ernst and Sen. Maggie Hassan, a Democrat from New Hampshire, aimed at increasing penalties for crimes committed in the U.S. on behalf of a foreign government, passed the Senate Tuesday.
The Deterring External Threats and Ensuring Robust Responses to Egregious and Nefarious Criminal Endeavors Act heads to the House of Representatives. This bill seeks to 性视界传媒渋ncrease criminal penalties for individuals who commit or attempt to commit, violent crimes in the United States.性视界传媒
Under the DETERRENCE Act, individuals convicted of an offense 性视界传媒渁t the direction of or in coordination with a foreign government,性视界传媒 could see their sentences increase by up to 10 years.
性视界传媒淧eace through strength is back and that includes right here at home. I look forward to the House swiftly passing this commonsense bill to create severe consequences for those who wish to harm our citizens,性视界传媒 Ernst said in a press release
Nunn introduces bill to reimburse 性视界传媒榲ictims of SNAP fraud性视界传媒
As Republicans in Congress seek to reduce federal spending on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Rep. Zach Nunn introduced legislation this week aimed at benefit fraud.
The SNAP Anti-Theft and Victim Compensation Act of 2025 would expand the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Agriculture性视界传媒檚 Office of Inspector General to investigate and prevent cases of SNAP benefits theft. Under this act. the inspector general would be authorized 性视界传媒渢o issue subpoenas, coordinate across law enforcement agencies, and access EBT processor data during investigations.性视界传媒
It also authorizes states to distribute compensation to families with stolen benefits and establishes a new civil penalty to act as a deterrent to fraud. Individuals found guilty of SNAP fraud would be penalized for 性视界传媒渢wice the value of the stolen benefits.性视界传媒
Nunn proposes bills dealing with law enforcement, student housing
Nunn also introduced several bipartisan bills last week.
The Retired Law Enforcement Officers Continuing Service Act, introduced Tuesday, aims to establish a new federal grant program to allow law enforcement agencies to hire retired officers 性视界传媒渢o serve in civilian roles like forensics, financial crimes, and IT analysis,性视界传媒 and train civilian personnel. This bill is co-led by California Democratic Reps. Josh Harder and Eric Swalwell, and Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Pennsylvania.
The Preventing Lethal Agricultural and National Threats Act, introduced Thursday, would create a new criminal offense for 性视界传媒渋mporting high-risk agricultural biological agents with increased penalties for individuals linked to foreign governments.性视界传媒 This bill is co-led by Rep. Josh Riley, a Democrat from New York.
The Campus Housing Affordability for Foster Youth Act, introduced Thursday, aims to allow the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to waive restrictions on using Section 8 assistance for on-campus housing for students with foster care or emancipation backgrounds.
Section 8 assistance is a voucher program provided by HUD to help individuals afford safe, private housing. Current federal policy blocks the use of Section 8 for college students seeking on-campus housing.
This bill is co-led by Greg Landsman, a Democrat from Ohio; Mike Lawler, a Republican from New York; Joyce Beatty, a Democrat from Ohio, and Don Bacon, a Republican from Nebraska.
Hinson introduces RNs for Rural Health Act
Reps. Ashley Hinson and Hilary Scholten, a Democrat from Michigan, introduced the bipartisan RNs for Rural Health Act, which seeks to update Medicare policy. The revision would allow registered nurses to perform Medicare annual wellness visits at rural health clinics.
Currently, the clinics are reimbursed for visits, only when annual wellness visits are performed by approved RHC practitioners, RNs are not included.
性视界传媒淭his is a commonsense solution that expands healthcare access, reduces costs, and enhances care in rural districts like mine性视界传媒攁 win for our communities, medical professionals, and their patients,性视界传媒 Hinson said in a press release.
