Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra says after flooding hit communities in his district in mid-2024 he’s been meeting regularly with FEMA officials to talk about progress — and Feenstra says he’s pushing FEMA to approve federal funding for buyouts flood-damaged properties.
“We’ve got to get these dollars passed out, so you have Rock Valley, Rock Rapids, Hawarden — all these other communities. We’ve got to get them whole,” Feenstra said during an interview with KSOU Radio. “We’ve got to make sure that they’re on the right path so they can grow economically and help not only the businesses and schools, but also the families that lost their homes.”
Under FEMA’s buyout program, 75% of the funding from the federal government. The state is required to provide 10% and the remaining 15% is the responsibility of the local government or city. Sioux County, along with the cities of Spencer, Rock Rapids, Rock Valley, Hawarden and Correctionville have submitted applications for federal funding to help buy homes that are unlivable due to last year’s damage or in an area that frequently floods. Estherville and Cherokee are working on their applications.
Feenstra, a Republican who’s running for governor, said if he’s elected, he’d set goals for how his administration would respond to Iowa disasters. “We want to make sure that we are ready for anything, whether it be a tornado or a flood,” Feenstra said. “that we can get boots on the ground within 12 hours of the event happening and making sure that we resolve and help the problems that are happening through that disaster.”
Feenstra indicated he has a meeting with FEMA officials tomorrow. He’s also asked to meet with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees FEMA. Feenstra is in Washington, D.C. today where congress has reconvened and is wrestling with what to about Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the month.
“We are not going to shut down government again, but we are working collaboratively to get this done,” Feenstra said. “To me, it’s all about how…do we make sure that we reduce premiums and not continue down this same path of growing and expanding and increasing the cost through the Affordable Care Act.”
Americans with an annual income below 400% of the poverty line will still receive federal tax credits next year, but without congressional action the health insurance subsidies expanded to other Americans in 2021 will expire December 31. In October, Feenstra said those subsidies that were established during the pandemic are too expensive for the federal government and congress should find other ways to reduce health care premium costs.
(Reporting by Carson Schubert, KSOU, Sioux Center)