Several Senators met with US Army Corps of Engineers in Glenwood Wednesday following historic flooding in that region along the Missouri River.

Iowa Senators Joni Ernst and Charles Grassley were among the US Senators that questioned the Corps about their river management following the flooding events last month. Grassley said Corps officials claim flood control is their number one priority, which he didn’t believe is true, when they also weigh it against the environment, commerce, fish and wildlife, endangered species and other factors.

“We don’t feel it’s their number one priority until it starts flooding. Otherwise it’s weighed against all these other things. And they ought to take into consideration the management of the dams have to be totally related to protecting life and property.”

While Grassley believes it’s estimated to take $10 billion for the Corps to make repairs to the federal system, he is also working with Ernst on the Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2019 to provide tax relief to Iowans in declared disaster zones.