Letter to the Hon. Mitch McConnell, the Hon. Nancy Pelosi, the Hon. Chuck Schumer,and the Hon. Kevin McCarthy - Pass Disaster Relief Supplemental that Includes Funding for States, Tribal Nations, and U.S. Territories

Letter

Dear Majority Leader McConnell, Minority Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, and Minority Leader McCarthy:

Now that Congress has funded the federal government through the end of this fiscal year, we are writing in the interest of all the communities impacted by recent disasters to request a continuation of the bipartisanship this body has previously demonstrated in providing aid for disaster recovery and rebuilding.

Specifically, we urge you to immediately bring up for consideration disaster supplemental appropriations that are sufficient to meet the needs of all affected communities. In 2018 alone, 124 federal disaster declarations were approved for states, territories, and tribal nations across our country. These disasters, which have come in a variety of forms including severe storms, hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, and volcanic activity, have placed a severe strain on our local communities' resources. In addition, there are communities in Puerto Rico and elsewhere that are still struggling to recover from previous disasters.

Providing desperately needed relief to impacted communities should be a bipartisan, bicameral priority and continued inaction is unacceptable. As such, we urge you to bring legislation providing disaster supplemental appropriations to your respective floors for consideration immediately.

Sincerely,