Duckworth, Durbin Applaud the Biden Administration for Approving Illinois Disaster Declaration Following July's Severe Flash Floods

Press Release

U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today applauded the Biden Administration for approving Governor JB Pritzker's request for federal assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to the State of Illinois, to help St. Clair County respond to significant damage from the flash floods from July 25-28. In August, Durbin and Duckworth led the entire Illinois Congressional delegation in sending a letter to President Biden requesting the federal assistance, emphasizing that the severity of the damage could not be adequately addressed with state resources alone.

"The folks in St. Clair County and the Metro East area are still recovering from July's severe flooding and need immediate help," said Duckworth. "I'm glad President Biden for heeding our request for assistance and is providing federal support to the communities that need it most."

"The flooding we saw in the Metro-East this summer was severe, forcing many families to evacuate their homes. The significant damage surpasses the resources of the state government, and we called on President Biden to help St. Clair County residents clean up their homes" said Durbin. "I'm grateful that President Biden answered that call. Metro-East residents are getting the support from the federal government that they deserve, and they can finally begin to rebuild their lives."

The approved disaster declaration will make federal funding directly available to impacted individuals in St. Clair County. The assistance includes grants for temporary housing and home repair, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

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