Subject: File No. 4-511
From: John P Nelson, CPA
Affiliation: CFO, Ames National Corporation

February 17, 2006

The costs of complying with section 404 continues to outweigh the benefits it creates. The proposal to eliminate external audit attestations of internal controls for smaller companies would be a significant improvement. External auditors completing walk throughs of the testing of internal auditors is a balanced approach to take.