Through the course of the past week, my home state of Iowa has been hammered by a series of powerful storms and flooding.

On Wednesday, a tornado ripped through a Boy Scout camp in the western part of the state. Four scouts were killed and twenty were injured. Across Iowa, additional tornadoes have claimed the lives of at least 8 others.

Rivers throughout the state have swelled under heavy rains and flooded surrounding areas. Thousands have been forced to evacuate from their homes, and three have been killed as a result of the weather.

On Sunday, the Iowa River, which cuts right through the University of Iowa -- my alma mater -- stabilized at 31.5 feet -- 9 feet above flood level. This morning, sixteen buildings on campus were under water.

Iowa is the nation’s leading corn producer, and 16 percent of the state's 25 million acres of farmland is under water. Millions of acres of crops have already been destroyed.

At the DLCC, our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Iowa.

The American Red Cross is providing relief efforts in the state and throughout the Midwest. If you can, please take a moment to support their work.