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Siouxland Summit on Homelessness and Drug Use, Steve King, SPM 4:32

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Iowa U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst say flood control should be the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ number 1 priority in managing the Missouri River.

At a Senate field hearing in Glenwood today the corps of engineers defended it’s handling of this year’s historic flooding, saying,  last month’s weather was so extreme that flooding could not have been prevented.

Local and national leaders joined forces today to try and come up for solutions for homelessness and substance abuse in Siouxland.

“We not connecting people with services and that’s what we’re searching to do,”  Frank LaMere.

That’s Frank LaMere (luh-mear), a Native American activist who also represents the Four Directions Center. 

LaMere says a dozen Native Americans have died because of homelessness and drug or alcohol abuse in the last couple of years.  He says several years ago the region lost funding from Indian Health Services for rehab services and the problem keeps getting worse.

Congressman Steve King also attended the Summit today in Sioux City.  He recently asked Congress for money to address the issue and to try and bring a rehab facility to Siouxland.

“We always want to do what is true, right and just.  I think my record shows that.  Not by what the Press says, but by what gets done.”

LaMere says Congressman Steve King has been an advocate for the Native American Community.

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