U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) recently concluded his 44th annual 99-county tour across Iowa. Grassley hosted the final town hall for this year’s cycle in Woodbury County on Tuesday with a question-and-answer session with employees at Novelty Machine & Supply Company, following meetings earlier in the day in Le Mars, Rock Rapids, and Sioux Center. Grassley began the practice of visiting each Iowa county at least once per year in 1981 and emphasized the importance of face-to-face dialogue in representative government. He says, “The cross-section of people I meet with at factories, hospitals, schools, small businesses, and town halls better informs my work on behalf of Iowans. Representative government is a two-way street, you’ve got to have dialogue to make it work. That’s why I started my 99 county meetings – to hold myself accountable to Iowans and hear from as many of my constituents as possible, face-to-face, about issues important to them.” Issues raised by Iowans this year included concerns about pharmacy benefit managers, the southern border, inflation, rural health care, and national security. Grassley encourages continued communication with Iowans through emails, letters, and visits to his office. This year, his stops in the listening area included a Q&A with Carroll High School students, town halls in Guthrie, Crawford, and Sac Counties, and several other visits. A link to Grassley’s 2024 tour schedule is included below.
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