U.S. Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart and Debbie Wasserman Schultz led a bi-partisan push today urging the Trump Administration to send Congress an official request for additional disaster funding in order to prevent any delays in recovery efforts, and ensure that no crucial federal relief agencies run out of money.
Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) and Diaz-Balart (FL-25) joined up with 37 other Members of Congress who represent communities hit hard by hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, to request the badly-needed supplemental funding. That bi-partisan request was sent to Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney today.
Members are specifically seeking funds for vital federal recovery agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery program run by the Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
“While federal agencies, including FEMA and HUD, continue to assess the damage and the costs of restoration, we are increasingly concerned [current] funds could be expended more quickly than expected,” the Members wrote Mulvaney. “We are concerned the agencies responsible for the recovery could run out of funds in the near term and be forced to await Congressional action to continue their vital work. This could greatly slow their efforts as well as have a significant long-term impact on the recovery.”
Members who signed the letter to Mulvaney include Reps. Wasserman Schultz, Diaz-Balart, Al Lawson, Vern Buchanan, Francis Rooney, Sheila Jackson Lee, Carlos Curbelo, Kathy Castor, Stephanie Murphy, Vicente Gonzalez, Theodore E. Deutch, Val Butler Demings, Lloyd Doggett, Thomas J. Rooney, Charlie Crist, Joaquin Castro, Frederica S. Wilson, Stacey E. Plaskett, Gene Green, Al Green, Jenniffer González-Colón, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Michael T. McCaul, Darren Soto, Alcee L. Hastings, Randy K. Weber., Sr., Pete Olson, John H. Rutherford, Brian J. Mast, Lois Frankel, Filemon Vela, Marc A. Veasey, Henry Cuellar, Dennis A. Ross, Sanford D. Bishop, Jr, Blake Farenthold, John Lewis, Ted Poe and Gus M. Bilirakis.
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