Grassley says 2006 will bring removal of more troops from Iraq

In his first conference call of 2006, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley told reporters this morning he’s not usually one to make New Year’s resolutions, but he does have several things he’d like to see accomplished on personal and professional levels in the coming year. The first item involves running, and not running for office. Grassley, who is 72 years old, says he has only kept one resolution throughout his entire life — to become a jogger, something he resolved to do seven years ago. Now, he runs almost every day. Grassley says he envisions 2006 being a success in a variety of ways. “Number one, removal of part of our troops from Iraq as we turn over more of the security of that nation to their own troops and to their own police and the Americans play very much a secondary role in the national security of Iraq.” On the domestic front, Grassley sees 2006 as holding the promise of growth and prosperity for the economies of Iowa and the nation. As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, he says he hopes for continued reductions in the budget deficit and employment growth. Grassley says 2006 should be a good economic year for workers and for investors. He projects a growth rate of three-and-a-half percent for the first quarter, down slightly from the four-percent growth of the last quarter but still ahead of Europe and Japan.