By Cole Mathisen

Read the original story at KIMT News 3

Mason City, IA- U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D) Iowa made his way across North Iowa on Thursday. Harkin is holding listening posts around the state.

We caught up with the Senator in Mason City. He was talking with the North Iowa Community Action Agency. The group recently received a grant worth about $240,000 per year for the next three years.

The Community Action Agency focuses on preventable diseases and wellness. Harkin says their work is important.

“Now most everybody all they’re talking about is how to pay the bills, well that’s a dead end, what we have to be talking about is how we keep people healthy in the first place and well and out of the hospital so we don’t have to pay all those bills,” Harkin said.

Harkin is also working with Senator Chuck Grassley (R) on flood relief for Iowan’s. He says money from the federal disaster relief fund should be making its way to flood victims right now.