Senator Chuck Grassley says the attitude of Iowans impacted by the recent severe flooding is positive despite the widespread and significant damage seen in the northwestern parts of the state. Grassley was in Spencer on Wednesday and describes what he saw firsthand.
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Spencer, which sits at the confluence of the Little Sioux and Ocheyedan Rivers, saw both waterways reach or exceed historic levels over flood stage. Hundreds of residents had to be evacuated, and nearly half of the community’s homes were damaged. Despite this, Grassley says the general feeling he heard from victims as he toured damaged areas was characteristically Iowan.
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The focus for Spencer and other northwest Iowa cities impacted by the flooding now turns to recovery, and Grassley says the state and federal response has been swift and effective so far.
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Grassley adds his role from this point forward will be to ensure FEMA’s disaster response coffers are sufficient and to lead efforts to allocate additional funds if it runs low. Grassley made his comments Thursday during his weekly Capitol Hill Report with Iowa reporters.