WASHINGTON - January 26, 2011 - Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa is co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation to repeal a burdensome tax reporting requirement on small businesses and farms enacted as part of the health care overhaul law last year.

"I had constituent meetings in 24 Iowa counties last week and heard employers say they need relief from costly mandates and regulations that undo any benefit they're supposed to get from the federal government, especially in rural America," Grassley said.  "The tax reporting requirement included in the health care law will cause a lot of hardship for small businesses and farmers when they need to focus on job creation instead."

Grassley signed onto legislation from Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) to repeal the tax reporting paperwork mandate, known as 1099 after the form taxpayers have to submit.  The Small Business Paperwork Elimination Act was introduced on the first day to introduce legislation in the new Congress.  Of the 55 senators co-sponsoring the bill, 14 are Democrats in indication of strong bipartisan support. The President also highlighted the need to repeal what he called this "flaw" in the health care bill in his state of the union address, a significant indication of support for repeal.  An identical measure introduced last year received 61 Senate votes.

The Small Business Paperwork Elimination Act would repeal the health care law's Section 9006, which expands the requirement to submit 1099 tax filing forms for business expenses to include all transactions that total $600 or more per vendor per year. The provision would impact businesses, family farms, churches, charities and local governments.  Numerous groups including the Iowa Farm Bureau and the National Federation of Independent Business, representing small businesses, are urging repeal.

-30-

WASHINGTON - January 25, 2011 - Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa with colleagues today introduced bipartisan legislation to prevent any individual or firm from being able to receive patents on tax strategies.  The tax patent legislation also is included in the broad patent reform bill under review in the Judiciary Committee.

"Tax patents prevent taxpayers from being able to use certain tax strategies unless they're willing to pay for them," Grassley said.  "It's unfair for taxpayers to have to pay for these methods.   Also, tax patents undermine a tax system based on voluntary compliance.  Our legislation reins in the cottage industry of those trying to own tax planning strategies that should be available to everyone or that would encourage inappropriate tax avoidance."

Grassley co-authored the Equal Access to Tax Planning Act, which was introduced today with Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and other senators.   The bill also is included in the Patent Reform Act of 2011, which the Judiciary Committee will begin considering on Thursday.  The patent legislation is described as offering a long-needed update of patent laws to preserve American invention and innovation, the cornerstones of the economy and job creation.

Grassley is outgoing ranking member of the Finance Committee, with jurisdiction over tax policy, and incoming ranking member of the Judiciary Committee.  He remains a senior member of the Finance Committee.

The text of the tax patent legislation is available at http://finance.senate.gov/legislation/.  Following is Grassley's statement of introduction on the legislation submitted to the Senate record.

Senator Grassley Statement Regarding the Equal Access to Tax Planning Act

Mr. President, Senator Baucus and I first introduced a bill to ban patents for tax inventions in the 110th Congress. Since then we have worked with the leaders of the Judiciary Committee, the Patent and Trademark Office, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, industry, and members of the patent bar to perfect the language.  I am pleased to introduce this new and improved bill today with Senators Baucus, Levin, Wyden, Bingaman, Conrad, Enzi and Kerry.

There are strong policy reasons to ban tax strategy patents.  Tax strategy patents may lead to the marketing of aggressive tax shelters or otherwise mislead taxpayers about expected results.  Tax strategy patents encumber the ability of taxpayers and their advisors to use the tax law freely, interfering with the voluntary tax compliance system.  If firms or individuals were able to hold patents for these strategies, some taxpayers could face fees simply for complying with the tax code.  And, tax patents provide windfalls to lawyers and patent holders by granting them exclusive rights to use tax loopholes, which could provide some businesses with an unfair advantage

Tax strategy patents are unlikely to be novel given the public nature of the tax code.  Moreover, tax strategy patents may undermine the fairness of the federal tax system by removing from the public domain particular ways of satisfying a taxpayer's legal obligations.  The Equal Access to Tax Planning Act expressly provides that a strategy for reducing, avoiding or deferring tax liability cannot be considered a new or non-obvious idea, and therefore, a patent on a tax strategy cannot be obtained.  This ensures that all taxpayers will have equal access to strategies to comply with the tax code.  I encourage support for this bill.

-30-

Rock Island, IL/January 5, 2011 -- A well-known name in Quad-Citiy media has joined forces with the region's only 8(a) certified marketing firm. Leigh Geramanis joins the Media Link team as an Account Manager and will develop and manage new accounts.

Geramanis has been consulting with Media Link over the past eleven months, assisting with client development. "It has been such a great fit for both of us that it just made sense to make it 'official.' I'm so inspired by Natalie Linville-Mass's business model. It's exactly what businesses are looking for in this challenging environment: the ultimate in quality service, flexibility and results."

Leigh's career prior to Media Link afforded her a rare perspective on the workings of media. Leigh has been an award-winning medical reporter and anchor, in the international medical destination of Rochester, MN. Leigh later helped facilitate Mayo Clinic's efforts to fight a railroad's plan to send high-speed coal trains less than 100 yards from the Mayo's Rochester campus. Leigh and her teammates helped educate policymakers, taxpayer watchdog groups, and the media about a proposed $2.3 billion federal dollar loan that would have financed the project. Their work resulted in the loan ultimately being denied. For six years, Leigh served clients of esteemed research and consultation firm, Frank N. Magid Associates, working with some of America's most successful local television stations. Among her clients: Fortune 500 executives, an ambassador, and a recent governor. Since returning to her hometown in 2007, Leigh has worked as News Director for WQAD, and Director of Marketing and Communications for Trinity Regional Health System. Leigh is a graduate of Rock Island High School, Black Hawk College and Southern Illinois University.

"I am so fortunate to have someone of Leigh's caliber on our team. Her expertise as a consultant and in the filed of media is a big help for our customers. She reinforces our scope and capability as a marketing firm," said Media Link founder and President Natalie Linville-Mass, who incorporated the company in 2001.

Media Link is a full-service integrated marketing firm specializing in strategic media buying and placement. Media Link works with businesses in the Quad-Cities and around the country to develop and execute customized marketing strategies to help them more effectively reach their customers. Media Link is the only marketing firm in the region to have obtained an 8(a) SDB certification, a designation of significance to clients who contract with the federal government.

###

Niabi Zoo will be holding open interviews for available seasonal positions for the upcoming open season. The available positions include work in the ticket office, Wild Things Gift Shop, Lorikeet Landing, Endangered Species Carousel operator, receptionist, pony ride attendant, educator, and janitorial staff.

The open interviews will be held on Wednesday, February 2nd from 9am until 11am and from 1pm until 3pm. Interviews will also be held on Saturday, February 5th from 12 Noon until 3pm. Applicants should come to the zoo education center building at the north end of the zoo.