Friday, September 16th is the deadline to avoid a possible nation-wide rail strike.  U-S Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa believes Congress will step in and act to prevent a railroad strike from occurring.  However, Grassley informed reporters that agriculture may still face problems with rail service even without a strike during harvest season.

Grassley says Congress will likely approve the recommendations set forth by mediation officials.

Grassley says Republicans don’t want to see a strike, and he says if a rail strike were to occur it would be damaging to the national economy.  Grassley says Congress would need to pass a resolution by unanimous consent.  He says farmers will need the railroads to help transport grain to market.  The Iowa Republican Senator says a shortage of rail employees may mean a shortage of locomotives and rail cars to transport grain during this harvest season and beyond.