By Jim Magdefrau

VAN HORNE – Sen. Charles Grassley heard a wide variety of questions when he held a town hall meeting, Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at the Van Horne Community Center. There were about 45 in attendance at the meeting.

Topics included the following:

• Growth of wind towers and solar panels on good farm land and tax incentives for these.
• The election system and mail-in ballots. Grassley pointed out most election laws are state laws.
• Lack of medical doctors in Veterans Administration Hospitals and in rural areas. Grassley said there will be more delivery of health care through nurse practitioners and physician assistants if more people don’t get into medical school.
• The national debt and Inflation Reduction Act. 
• The bi-partisan government financing bill and earmarks. Grassley stressed he does not request earmarks and the importance of not shutting down the government. He said shutting down the government is a stupid thing, because of its impact on service people serving the country.
• Draining the swamp.
• The Supreme Court and regulators.
• How appropriations work in Congress.
• Increased money for the Internal Revenue Service.
• “Are you still doing your daily run?” “At 90 I call it a walk.”
• Social Security work has to be Democrats and Republicans sitting down at the same table. 
• One resident said small farms need to come back and to outlaw farming with “poisons.” 
• The new farm bill has a big emphasis to encourage organic efforts, Grassley said. 
• Who is controlling Joe Biden? He is not running the country. Grassley answered that Susan Rice still has influence on the White House.
• Is anything going to be done on the border? You’ve got to have a president that wants to enforce the law. 
• One resident on immigration, “What are we doing about it? Nothing! If they would shoot their guns, there’d be less people. They’d be on the other side of the river.”
• Grassley said, “Congress passes laws under our Constitution. We don’t enforce the laws. The president enforces the laws.”
• What is the terror threat in the United States? Grassley said his information comes from the FBI Director, whose department keeps an eye on about 1,000 people. 
• Resident to Grassley: “A recent unpleasantness is going to occur if you people in DC don’t get your stuff together … the adults are going to come to Washington.”
• Another resident: “You guys need to fix it, because if you don’t, we’re gonna.”
• Student loan debt forgiveness, despite Supreme Court ruling. Where is the government getting the money? Grassley said taxes and borrowing.