Chuck Grassley

There is really no reason why the leader of the Senate cannot bring these nominations up for a vote anytime that he decides to do it.

First, I, like my colleagues, congratulate the nominees and the families that are proud of their nomination...

I would like to associate myself with the comments of the senior Senator from Washington and am pleased to know it is her intent that the use of not-for-profit servicers continues and that not-for-profit servicers will be permitted to…

We urge the Committee to include the heightened pleading, discovery reform, and fee-shifting provisions, such as those found in the bill cosponsored by Senators Cornyn and Grassley.

Some patent holders are concerned that proposals to heighten pleading requirements restrict discovery, institute fee shifting, that would hamper the ability of small inventors and other legitimate patent holders to enforce their patent…

We absolutely support the measures that you have introduced. We do believe they will curb the activity.

Senator Grassley's bill to require heightened pleading standards and fee shifting will make a patent troll think twice about harassing credit unions.

Fighting frivolous and burdensome patent lawsuits threatened and filed by patent trolls is an extremely expensive distraction for a large cross-section of Iowa businesses.

What we are against is companies that purchase antiquated patents for the sole purpose of extorting money from small business.

You have worked with me a long time on these things.

I think it is important to state on behalf of CUNA and, arguably, all financial services companies that if part of the result of legislation is to add to the cost for the side--in this case, the plaintiff...

As supported by Senators Hatch, Cornyn, and Grassley.

So this is very important, Mr. Chairman, and I have still got a longer statement to put in the record, but this gives you an idea of where I am coming from.

Contract negotiations with suppliers and service providers now routinely include allocation of liability in the event of patent trolling.

The Department's brief in American Express argued that the mandatory arbitration agreement prevented the plaintiffs from being able to effectively vindicate their rights under the antitrust laws.

Is it fair to say that at a minimum arbitration clauses prohibiting class actions must contain some mechanism for sharing or shifting costs?

Thank you, Ms. Overton, for your testimony.

I continue to believe that many of them call into serious question whether the law and other safeguards currently in place strike the right balance between protecting our civil liberties and our national security.

This is a very important hearing, and you are doing the right thing by having the hearing because this is a subject of ongoing media attention and a lot of constituent interest.

The bill that I have does not require an advocate in every FISA Court case. It would be only when the Court agreed that it might be helpful.

I would hope that we would have a firm statement from the administration of whether or not this legislation is harmful or not.

We find that there is a use and a value to having an independent legal representative in the FISA Court process in the appropriate circumstances.

I believe that the IRS should be working with as many partners as possible.

I think that when we have an environment in which, if somebody breaks a law or an institution does something wrong, and somehow our government is afraid to charge them and prosecute them... you are allowing people to have an environment…

There is unprecedented obstruction going on in the Senate toward this President's nominees.