[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 154 (Tuesday, September 8, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S5429]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        IOWA 99 COUNTY MEETINGS

  Mr. GRASSLEY. In August, I held 49 county meetings as part of my 
annual 99-county set of meetings in Iowa. At every meeting, the format 
is the same: Iowans set the agenda.
  Challenges from the pandemic and storm recovery were among their top 
concerns. To explain the storm recovery--about once every 10 years 
there is a big wind storm called a derecho going across someplace in 
the country. That path was about 150 miles long in Iowa and 34 miles 
wide, and it destroyed the crops for this year in that area. Other 
issues came up as well. Biofuels, unemployment insurance, the farm 
economy, access to childcare and school reopenings were frequent points 
of discussion. I had the chance of visiting in 15 different locations 
with about that many school superintendents, and they were very 
optimistic about the coming school year.
  This is my 40th year holding my 99 county meetings. I started this 
tradition when I first was elected to the Senate, so Iowans in every 
corner of the State would know I care about their opinions.
  It is an honor to serve Iowans in the U.S. Senate and uphold my end 
of representative government. I look forward to more Q&As across the 
State this year and starting my 41st year of 99 county meetings in 
2021.
  I yield the floor.

                          ____________________