The governor will ask for a presidential disaster declaration in the wake of damaging tornadoes last week in east-central Iowa. Governor Tom Vilsack, who spent Easter weekend in Iraq visiting American troops, has a breakfast meeting today (Wednesday) in Washington, arranged by the White House so Vilsack can brief the president on his visits with Iowa soldiers in the battle zone.

Vilsack says one things the soldiers were talking about was their concern for their homes back in Iowa and he’ll be telling the president about those concerns. The governor says once he’s back home, he’ll send a letter to the White House formally requesting a disaster declaration when the Federal Emergency Management Agency has finished its assessment of damage in Jones, Johnson and Muscatine Counties.