The governors of Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota are calling on Congress to end the deadlock that’s shut down the federal government. The three met at the Tri-States Governors Conference in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota, on Wednesday. Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, a Republican, says he deals with split government, with Democrats controlling the Iowa Senate, and they can find agreements.

“I don’t spend my time attacking the Democratic leader in the Senate, I don’t call him names and things like that,” Branstad says. “Instead, I focus on things that can help move Iowa forward. I know at the end of the day, I’m going to have to compromise. It’s gotta’ be a win-win situation and things that the other party can see as beneficial as well.”

Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman, a Republican, says there is plenty of blame to go around in Washington D-C.  “Both parties are at fault,” Heineman says. “It is now time for the president to exert presidential leadership, in my opinion, bring everybody down to the White House, say, ‘We’re going to the basement and I’m only going to feed you bread and water ’til we get this thing resolved.’ Doggone it, it’s time to do what’s right for America and that’s what they should do.”

South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard, a Republican, says the states will feel more effects the longer the shutdown continues. “To the extent that we have employees and programs that are reliant on federal funds, we’ve been pretty careful to steward those funds over the years,” Daugaard says. “We’ve got some that are available that can carry us at least to the end of the month, of October. Some will carry longer than that but some won’t.”

The three governors meet every year, with the meetings rotating around the Sioux City area of Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota.

(Radio Iowa)