Floor Remarks by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa
Senate President Pro Tempore
“45th Annual 99 County Meetings”
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
On Thursday in Kossuth County, Iowa, I completed my 45th annual 99 county meetings.
For 45 years in a row, I’ve held at least one question-and-answer session in all of Iowa’s 99 counties.
Now, I have to modify that just a little bit because I remember, and it’s not here in print, that in my first term in office, there was one county where nobody showed up. But, otherwise, I’ve had a Q-and-A in every county of Iowa, all 99, for the last 45 years.
Last week, I met with welders, students, family farmers, factory workers and others to hear what’s on their minds.
I was in two high schools so I could hear straight from the next generation of Iowans about what is most important to young Iowans.
This year, I joined an artificial intelligence workshop in Grinnell, Iowa, with small business owners.
I visited seven hospitals to hear from nurses and doctors about changes to Medicaid and how I’m working to strengthen rural health care.
I held a roundtable with restaurant and hotel workers about the no tax on overtime and no tax on tips. These were all provisions, as we senators know from last summer’s tax bill, everything to help working men and women of our country.
These workers told me how the tax bill was a big morale boost for their employees and also to help recruit more employees.
Congress legislates and makes policy that impacts Americans.
As a part of representative government, it’s important to hear from our constituents how this policy is impacting their daily lives.
Hearing from Iowans face-to-face in my county meetings is the best way to keep in touch.
But, as I tell them at that particular time, they only see me maybe one day out of 365. There’s 364 [other] days a year that they ought to be telling me what’s on their minds.
So, I encourage all Iowans to write or call my office with their opinions.
And I always say dialogue is the essence of representative government. So, if they don’t see me face-to-face to have that conversation and they have it by email, they should expect an answer.
And if you don’t get an answer, let me know, because if I encourage you to write me and I say I’m going to answer, then I better give you an answer.
Knowing what Iowans care about helps me better serve them. I look forward to more Q-and-As in the coming weeks.
-30-