OTTUMWA, IA -- Iowa Congressman Dave Loebsack was in Ottumwa Saturday. 

He spoke with local emergency management coordinators about receiving federal funding.  Coordinators for many southeastern counties spoke to Loebsack as to why they need money. 

Disaster relief from flooding, tornadoes and blizzards all fall under these guidelines.  Loebsack says although there is state and local funding, these agencies need funds from Washington.

"There's a lot of local funding state funding and all the rest but without the federal funding a lot of these programs, these emergency management programs, simply wouldn't exist,” said Loebsack.  “As we've had all these disasters over the course of the last few years flooding, ice storms tornadoes, these folks are on the ground.  They're the first lines of defense.”

The congressman vowed to return to Washington asking for more federal funding.