VIDEO: Ernst Calls Out Democrats for Choosing Partisanship over Disaster Relief for Iowans

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) expressed her disappointment in her Democratic colleagues for choosing to play partisan political games over providing desperately needed support and aid for flood victims in Iowa, and across the Midwest. Senator Ernst’s home state of Iowa is facing up to $1.6 billion in damages from devastating flooding that began on March 12, 2019.

Click here or the image above to watch the Senator Ernst’s full remarks.

In her remarks, Senator Ernst stated,

“Words can’t really express my disappointment in the Democrats blocking the supplemental disaster package yesterday that was put forward by Chairman Shelby. Folks in Iowa have lost their businesses, they have lost their homes. Our communities have lost their infrastructure. Livestock, gone. Grain, gone. It is devastating and it is heartbreaking. The package that was put forward yesterday was the most comprehensive package available—it covered not only the disasters in Iowa with the flooding and across the Midwest, but it included all of the other disasters from 2018. Again, the most comprehensive, far-reaching disaster supplemental package, and it was blocked by my colleagues across the aisle. Shame on them.

“A number of my Democratic colleagues have been finding their way across the state of Iowa, telling Iowans how important they are to them as the presidential caucuses are nearing, and yet they voted to block the very funding that would help these families out.”

Background:

Last night, Senate Democrats voted against the most comprehensive disaster relief bill on the table. This measure offered $13.45 billion in relief to areas affected by 2018 disasters, including those in South Carolina, Georgia, and Puerto Rico, and extended eligibility for disaster relief to people across the Heartland, including Iowa, who have been impacted by the recent flooding this year.

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