Chuck Grassley: “I want to address an issue of corporate responsibility, particularly as it relates to my hometown of New Hartford, IA…”

“I want to address an issue of corporate responsibility, particularly as it relates to my hometown of New Hartford, IA, and the flood that recently took place there, and whether a large chain of convenient stores that is headquartered across Wisconsin is going to take the corporate responsibility of continuing to serve a small town that has been devastated by a flood. It has been a tough and challenging time for Iowans over the past few weeks. I have come to the floor on a few occasions already to update my colleagues on the natural disasters that have hit Iowa so hard. Tornadoes and floods have caused economic and emotional toil and pain and have, sadly, taken 24 lives across the Midwest. Just a mile from my farm is the town of New Hartford, where I have lived my entire 74 years. It is a modest town of about 650 people. On May 25, the north edge of the town suffered extensive damage from a tornado. That same tornado destroyed half the town of Parkersburg, IA, just 10 miles west of my hometown of New Hartford, and continued damaging towns over a 43-mile range, including Dunkerton and Hazleton, as that tornado traveled east. Then came the floods. The town and residents of New Hartford were devastated by the flood waters of what we call Beaver Creek. Much of the town's homes and businesses suffered damages from the floods. But Iowans are resilient people. The residents and the entire community are pulling together to help their neighbors get back on their feet.”