Sen. Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Jeff Sessions, ranking member of the Budget Committee, have been scrutinizing the expense of the Ninth Judicial Circuit's upcoming conference in Hawaii.  The Ninth Circuit announced that it will cancel next year's conference.  Grassley and Sessions are seeking cost containment for the Hawaii conference this year, as well as for future conferences.  Grassley made the following comment.

"After weeks of scrutiny, it's good to see a response at last to criticism of expensive conferences.  However, while an encouraging sign, cancelling next year's conference does not necessarily signal lasting change.  This year's conference is likely to be expensive, and future events could be expensive, as well.  I'm looking for long-term spending reductions and restraint on conference expenditures."

The Ninth Circuit's 2013 conference cancellation announcement is available here.

Grassley and Sessions sent a second letter to the Ninth Circuit on Friday.  That letter is available here.

Branstad commutes 38 sentences to life with a mandatory 60 years before parole possible

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry Branstad today took action to prevent the release of dangerous murders in light of the recent Miller v. Alabama United States Supreme Court decision, where they ruled that states cannot mandate life sentences without the possibility of parole for murderers who committed their crimes before the age of eighteen.

The court's ruling means that up to 38 dangerous juvenile murderers in Iowa will seek resentencing and more lenient sentences.

"During this process, the victims are all too often forgotten by our justice system, and are forced to re-live the pain of the tragedies," said Branstad. "These victims have had their loved ones violently taken away from them. I take this action today to protect these victims, their loved ones' memories, and to protect the safety of all Iowans."

In compliance with the U.S. Supreme Court decision, Gov. Branstad will commute the life without parole sentences today to life with the possibility parole only after 60 years for the 38 people who were convicted of First Degree Murder while a juvenile.

This action means that they will not have the possibility of parole until they have served 60 years.

"Justice is a balance and these commutations ensure that justice is balanced with punishment for those vicious crimes and taking into account public safety," said Branstad. "First degree murder is an intentional and premeditated crime and those who are found guilty are dangerous and should be kept off the streets and out of our communities."

"Today Governor Branstad and I want to ensure that justice is served, Iowans are protected, and victims are heard," said Reynolds. "The governor's action today gives the opportunity for parole in compliance with the recent Supreme Court decision; however, the action also protects victims from having to be re-victimized each year by worrying about whether the Parole Board will release the murderer who killed their loved one."

CAMP RIPLEY, MINN. (07/14/2012)(readMedia)-- Approximately 60 distinguished visitors from all around Illinois flew in from Aurora and Peoria July 12 to pay a visit to the Soldiers participating in the Army National Guard's eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) program; observing and experiencing their training first hand.

The diverse group consisted of civilians and prior service, white collar and blue collar, but the common thread that brought them all together was their admiration and appreciation for the Soldiers that serve them.

"Our mission is to serve those that serve and that's those who wear the uniform and their families," said John May of Chicago, chairman and chief executive officer of USO of Illinois. "Today gave me a first-hand opportunity to see what those in uniform are doing. It was really a once in a lifetime opportunity that I will never forget. Just meeting the people, seeing the level of dedication, seeing how they slip out of a civilian role, into a military role so easily and effectively; every moment was a highlight."

The distinguished visitors followed an action-packed itinerary. After arriving at Camp Ripley on C-130 airplanes they attended an introductory gathering, observed the launching of an unmanned aerial vehicle and then were whisked away to meet the Soldiers in the field on Blackhawk helicopters.

They went on to connect and converse with Soldiers in the field and then witnessed Soldiers moving in a combat-simulated field training exercise. The day came to a close after Chinooks transported the distinguished visitors to the tactical operations center where they experienced a state of the art battlefield operation.

Paul Brian of Burr Ridge, radio personality at WLS radio in Chicago, served for three years toward the end of the Vietnam conflict and appreciated the ongoing sacrifice that those in the Illinois Army National Guard and all branches of the military make to provide freedom.

"The sacrifice a Soldier makes is apparent every day," said Brian. "There's nothing that we do in this country, or have done since the inception of this country, that has not been made possible by men and women wearing our uniform. And for us to not support them, the people who are making our freedom possible is absolutely unconscionable to me."

Although many of the distinguished guests expressed their gratitude during their visit, the Soldiers they visited were equally honored by their presence.

"I respect and admire all of them," said Sgt. 1st Class Stacey A. Long of Champaign, planning, training, and operations non commissioned officer. "They are an example to emulate. The civilian population will come to a better understanding and a better appreciation for what we do because those same people are going to go out into the community and will talk about what they saw. I have a great deal of respect for that because they didn't have to do that."

Photo 1: Photo by Sgt. Jesse Houk, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment/ Distinguished visitors learn infantry maneuvers from Capt. Nick P. Camardo of Rockford, commander, Company A, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment and then see them executed in real-time. The visitors observed Soldiers in several scenarios in the Army National Guard's eXportable Combat Training Capability program at Camp Ripley, Minn.

Photo 2: Photo by Sgt. Jesse Houk, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment/ Distinguished visitors experience the launch of an unmanned aerial vehicle at Camp Ripley, Minn. The group was invited connect with Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers.

Photo 3: Photo by Sgt. Jesse Houk, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment/ Suzanne Ravlin of Dixon, from Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital and Tom Bushmann of Dixon, from VFW Post 540, both distinguished visitors, are greeted by Brig. Gen. Johnny R. Miller of Tamms, assistant adjutant general of the Illinois Army National Guard, and Command Sgt. Maj. Mark W. Bowman of Plainfield, Illinois Army National Guard land forces sergeant major. The two were flown to experience Soldiers training in Army National Guard's eXportable Combat Training Capability program at Camp Ripley, Minn.

New Law Will Limit Use of Expensive Search Firms and Require Universities to Further Improve Hiring Practices

CHICAGO - July 14, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today signed a new law to increase fiscal responsibility at state universities in Illinois by limiting their use of search firms. This law will help ensure that universities capitalize on existing resources instead of automatically hiring search firms, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. This is the latest action taken by Governor Quinn to protect taxpayer money and ensure efficiency at our public universities.

"We want the best and brightest from across America to oversee our universities but recruiting should not come at the expense of the education of our students," Governor Quinn said.  "Universities have a responsibility to maintain fiscal responsibility while making sure that students receive affordable, world-class educations."

Sponsored by Rep. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) and Sen. Dale Righter (R-Mattoon), House Bill 5914 will allow state universities to hire external search firms only when hiring university presidents or when the current president and board of trustees prove there is a need for hiring guidance. The new law, which will further improve hiring practices, was designed to ensure that universities do no hire expensive search firms rather than using university leadership to conduct a search using existing resources.

"In this economic climate we can ill afford such extravagances, particularly when most universities in Illinois get by just fine without using them," said Rep. Rose. "I appreciate the Governor's interest in this issue and his signing of the bill today."

The law also requires state universities, including the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University and Western Illinois University, to implement policies for conducting hiring searches.

The new law goes into effect Jan. 1, and universities will have six months from Jan. 1 to implement search policies.

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