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Letter to Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House of U.S. Representatives and Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader of U.S. Representatives - Illinois Members Continue Fight to Bring Fairness in Disaster Declaration Process

Letter

Date: Nov. 20, 2015
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Government Operations Government Budget and Spending

Dear Speaker Ryan and Minority Leader Pelosi:

In April, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously passed H.R. 1471, the FEMA Disaster Assistance Reform Act of 2015. We write to urge the consideration of this important legislation by the full House.

H.R. 1471 reforms FEMA to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of disaster assistance capabilities and programs. This bipartisan legislation includes an important provision to provide fairness to small communities in rural and suburban areas.

This week marks two years since the devastating damage done by storms across the Midwest. This outbreak of storms included 73 tornadoes, caused more than 100 injuries and 11 fatalities, and resulted in more than $1.6 billion in damage. A disproportionate amount of the impact was felt in the State of Illinois. The damage done to Washington, Illinois totaled nearly $1 billion alone.

Unfortunately, the current formula used by FEMA for determining the need for Public and Individual Assistance puts rural regions in states like Illinois and others that have a high concentration of population in one area of the state at a disadvantage when disaster strikes. Currently, there is not a standard for determining which factors carry more weight than others, ultimately leading to a subjective process that leaves states and communities with uncertainty as their applications are considered.

The FEMA Disaster Assistance Reform Act requires the administrator of FEMA to give greater weight and consideration to severe localized impact when making recommendations to the president regarding the issuance of a major disaster declaration. It also would require the agency to make corresponding adjustments to agency policies and regulations. These changes are similar to those proposed in H.R. 1685, the Fairness in Disaster Declarations Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by members of the Illinois delegation earlier this year.

We remain committed to this critically important provision, and urge swift action on the underlying bill. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,


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