Senator Grassley meets with students at Waukon High School
U.S. Senator Charles Grassley meets with students at Waukon High School ... United States Senator from Iowa Charles Grassley visited Waukon High School Thursday morning, April 4 to talk with high school juniors and seniors. Senator Grassley fielded questions from students and discussed a variety of items that included infrastructure, term limits, helping dairy farmers and small business, the national debt, political corruption, a balanced budget amendment, finding more common ground, and the Senator’s education and salary, among other matters. Standard photo by Joe Moses.
by Joe Moses
U.S. Senator for the state of Iowa Charles Grassley met with junior and senior students at Waukon High School late Thursday morning, April 4 for a 45-minute question and answer (Q&A) session as part of his 44th annual 99-County Tour. Prior to his stop in Allamakee County, Grassley held a town hall style meeting in Winneshiek County at Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) in Calmar with two industry visits scheduled later that same day including Pattison Sand in Clayton County and ProPulse in Dubuque County.
Waukon High School Social Studies instructor Jerry Keenan provided an introduction noting Grassley’s years of service in the U.S. Senate including committee assignments. Grassley advised that the Q&A format allows for a variety of questions relating to legislation, his life in general, the role of a senator in addition to comments from students that can be taken to Washington D.C.
The veteran senator further noted the importance of Q&A sessions at high schools in hearing concerns of young people in addition to the traditional town hall style meetings held in communities throughout the state which allow dialogue with constituents and the sharing of opinions and concerns. In addition to town hall meetings, Grassley advised that he encourages communication and feedback from constituents by postal mail, phone, social media, email, and in-person during his office hours in Washington D.C. and traveling office hours with staff members.
Grassley opened the floor to questions and comments from students. He was first questioned about why he chooses to continue running for the U.S. Senate, to which he noted that he has served in this capacity for quite some time and is the most senior member of the U.S. Senate. He noted his continued interest in doing things to make Iowa a better state.
Another student noted that Grassley was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives during the Eisenhower administration with the government being more divided now than ever before with little middle ground or compromise. Grassley agreed with the student’s observation noting the division and challenges in moving legislation forward in the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives in addition to providing an overview of voting trends and scenarios relating to Republicans and Democrats.
Grassley encouraged those present to review independent information available online through Georgetown University and the Lugar Center relating to the non-partisan ranking of each member of Congress and their work across party lines. He noted that he has continued to be ranked highly on this list within the top five or top 12.
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