Cornyn: Release Of Hurricane Funds Boosts Texas Communities

Press Release

Cornyn: Release Of Hurricane Funds Boosts Texas Communities

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, who has played a key role in the fight for hurricane recovery funding, announced on Friday that $428,671,849 in additional funding will be distributed to Texas communities for hurricane recovery efforts through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that it has approved Texas's plan on how to use the funding. The assistance, which comes through HUD, was included in the Fiscal Year 2006 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act signed into law last June.

"Texans showed their strength and generosity following the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita," Sen. Cornyn said. "HUD's approval of the state's plan is an important move forward to ensure our communities receive the resources necessary for recovery costs of Hurricane Rita."

Sen. Cornyn played a key role in fighting for a fair share of CDBG funding for Texas, particularly following an insufficient allocation by HUD for Texas in an initial round of funding. In December 2005, Congress provided $11.5 billion in CDBG funds for hurricane relief as part of the FY 2006 Department of Defense Appropriations Act. But only $74.5 million was allocated to Texas, or less than one percent.

Last year, Sen. Cornyn worked with HUD officials, including meeting and speaking several times with Secretary Jackson, to push for the additional funding. In addition, during the Senate's consideration of the Fiscal Year 2006 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, the Senate unanimously approved Sen. Cornyn's amendment that substantially increased CDBG funding for Texas.

"Southeast Texas was still devoting resources to Katrina victims when they themselves were hit by Hurricane Rita," Sen. Cornyn said. "Providing this critical funding to support Texas recovery efforts is the right thing to do."

The Community Development Block Grant program is a flexible funding source that provides communities with assistance to address a wide range of needs such as hurricane recovery.

Following Hurricane Rita, Sen. Cornyn traveled to several affected Texas cities, including three trips to Beaumont where he met with local officials and offered continued assistance. Sen. Cornyn also met with local leaders at the Houston TranStar Center and visited the Tyler/Smith County Emergency Operations Center at ETMC-EMS. In addition, Sen. Cornyn was at the State Operations Center in Austin to receive briefings and updates from the top state leaders coordinating the various relief efforts.

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