Make wishtv.com your home page

VP Pence visits flooded Iowa amid funding stalemate

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Vice President Mike Pence again visited washed out communities in Iowa Friday, as the battle over relief funding wages on in Congress.

During his second visit of devastated communities, Pence promised relief to thousands of people impacted by the historic flooding.

“We’re going to get the support that Iowa needs,” he said.

“We’re going to work with your governor, work with your senators until we rebuild Iowa bigger and better than before,” he added.

Pence joined Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Republican Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley to tour the damage, which has now reached nearly $2 billion.

Right now, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is helping flooding victims across the Midwest. However, Iowa lawmakers say they need more money to rebuild.

“Unfortunately, it was blocked by Democrats in the Senate,” Pence said.

Democrats are opposing the relief package unless it includes more hurricane recovery money for Puerto Rico, which Republicans call unnecessary.

Meanwhile, Grassley is pushing for alternative support. This week he announced a tax credit plan to help businesses pay employees even while closed. The proposal would also give flooding victims penalty-free access to their retirement accounts.

“Let’s continue the bipartisan tradition of helping our fellow Americans with disasters,” Grassley said.

But it could be a wait. Congress is now on a two-week break.