HUD secretary Ben Carson meets with Siouxland group building Washington support

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson endorsed the collaborative approach of an Iowa-based delegation in Washington this week to build federal support for its priorities.

Carson, who became familiar to Iowans while campaigning across the state as a 2016 GOP presidential hopeful, called Wednesday for more holistic approaches to community needs in housing, health care and education.

Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, joked that he's enjoying his new job as President Donald Trump's choice to run an agency known mostly for public housing.

'I'm so delighted to be in Washington,” he told the 63rd Siouxland Chamber of Commerce Washington conference Wednesday evening. 'I never thought I would say that. Actually, it's not bad, but it can be so much better.”

Introduced by Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, Carson told more than 60 members of the Iowa-Nebraska-South Dakota group that his mission is to change the agency by 'utilizing a holistic approach, working across silos, to develop people and not just buildings.”

That fit nicely with the chamber's efforts to work across state lines and boundaries to address community needs.

'It's been a nice day to be in Washington,” said Barbara Slonicker, executive vice president of the chamber. 'Everyone here is talking about health care and taxes,” which are among the chamber's priorities.

Job training is another issue, said Steve Warnstadt, a former Iowa legislator now with Western Iowa Tech Community College. Given the labor demands of the region, the challenge is moving unemployed people into the workforce through education and job training, he said.

Since Congress ended the practice of earmarks, it has become more difficult to get funding for specific projects, Warnstadt said. While true, Slonicker said there are policy changes Congress can make that would help with the chamber's priorities.

In addition to Grassley, the chamber reception in the Russell Senate Office Building attracted Sen. Joni Ernst and 4th District Rep. Steve King as well as South Dakota Sens. John Thune and Mike Rounds. All told, the group expects to meet with its six senators and 14 House representatives while in Washington.

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