Des Moines Sun

Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and a family farmer, has submitted formal questions to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden regarding the department’s proposed reorganization. The move follows a committee hearing held Wednesday.

Grassley’s questions focused on why Congress was not informed or consulted before the USDA announced its reorganization plan. He also asked for clarification on Congress’s role in decisions such as the selection of USDA hub locations.

In his submission, Grassley noted the significance of USDA facilities in Ames, Iowa. These include the Agriculture Research Service’s National Animal Disease Center, recognized internationally for animal health research, and the National Laboratory for Agriculture and The Environment, which is known for its work in watershed management and soil health. He questioned whether any positions or projects would be moved to Ames as part of the reorganization.

Grassley presented several written questions to Deputy Secretary Vaden:

"Why was Congress not notified or consulted of plans for the reorganization despite so many in Congress supporting these plans?

Will there be any flexibility for Congress to weigh in on the hubs that have been designated, the movement of positions to certain locations, or the vacating of certain properties such as the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center?

Ames, Iowa is home to the Agriculture Research Service’s National Animal Disease Center and the National Laboratory for Agriculture and The Environment among others. Will USDA move any positions or projects to Ames, Iowa?

What do you see as Congress’s role in this process? Will there be closer consultation with Congress moving forward?"

Senators often submit Questions For the Record (QFRs) after hearings to obtain more detailed responses from witnesses.