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US Senators Question Army Corps' Flood Control, SPM 4:04 News

041719 404

Republicans on an Iowa Senate committee have changed a bill extending a statewide sales tax for school infrastructure to allow more of that money to go to property tax relief.

Extending the SAVE tax is a priority for public schools. The House of Representatives has already passed a version that gives more property tax relief than the current SAVE law, but the Senate doubled the House proposal.

Iowa’s two U.S. Senators 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 yesterday, the corps of engineers argued last month’s weather was so extreme that flooding could not have been prevented.

Senator Chuck Grassley said he’s focused on getting emergency money to the corps to fix up levees along the river damaged by flooding. But a lot more needs to be done.

(0417grassley   0:13)) We’d also feel that better control of the existing dams would be a step in the right direction and that we ought to do that first.

Grassley and Senator Joni Ernst were joined at the hearing by U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Jerry Moran (Mor-RAN). 

Meanwhile, Representatives of FEMA say so far 300 individuals have come forward requesting help in Woodbury County.  It was declared a Federal disaster area.

A team from FEMA went door-to-door in Hornick and Sioux City to find people impacted by flooding and groundwater from a storm back on March 12th.

“Ever survivor with all of the documentation they need to get assistance.”

That’s FEMA spokesperson Rossy (Rosie) Rey who says there are new hours for the Disaster Relief Center at Western Iowa Tech Community College.  The center is now open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. until 7 p.m.  

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