Ernst Completes 99 County Tour for 2019
Over the last year, Ernst held 35 public town halls, made dozens of visits to local small businesses, health care centers, farms, and manufacturers, and spoke directly with thousands of Iowans across the state
MUSCATINE, Iowa—With the conclusion of her 35th public town hall this year on Saturday, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) officially wrapped up her 99 County Tour for 2019, marking the fifth time she’s completed the annual tradition of visiting every single one of Iowa’s 99 counties.
- Click HERE or on the image above for a video recap of Senator Ernst's 99 County Tour for 2019.
“There’s no better way to represent my fellow Iowans than to be out meeting with and hearing directly from you. That’s why, since first serving in the U.S. Senate, I’ve remained committed to completing my 99 County Tour every year and to regularly holding open and public town halls,” said Senator Joni Ernst. “This year’s 99 County Tour, including my 35 town halls in our most urban areas and rural communities, allowed me to connect with Iowans from every corner of our state and to hear about some of the most important things on your minds, like the need to lower prescription drug costs, to ensure EPA upholds the RFS, and to pass trade deals like the USMCA.”
Senator Ernst started her 99 County Tour for 2019 with a town hall in her hometown of Red Oak in January and finished on Saturday with a town hall in Muscatine.
Every year, Senator Ernst completes a 99 County Tour, visiting every county in the state of Iowa within a calendar year and inviting press to join her at every one of the stops.
Some Highlights from 2019:
- 35 Public Town Halls – Senator Ernst held 35 town halls across Iowa this year, from small rural areas like her hometown of Red Oak in Montgomery County, to Iowa’s most populated county, Polk County.
- Hospitals and Pharmacies – One of the major issues Senator Ernst has heard about while on her 99 County Tour is health care, specifically the high costs of prescription drugs. Senator Ernst made several visits over the last year to hospitals, pharmacies and other health care centers where she discussed the work she’s doing to bring down costs and provide better access to health care for Iowans, including making a visit to Boone County Hospital, stopping at the new Rock Rapids community health center, and speaking with pharmacists at Hughes Pharmacy in Emmetsburg.
- Farms and Agriculture Communities – Serving on the Senate Agriculture Committee and the Environment and Public Works Committee, Senator Ernst is especially focused on issues impacting Iowa’s farmers and agriculture community, including trade and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Senator Ernst visited several farms, including the Nieuwenhuis Farm in O’Brien County and Hingtgen Farms in Jackson County, where she heard about the need to get the USMCA trade agreement done and to ensure EPA upholds the RFS.
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