Following Hurricane Laura, Sens. Cruz, Cornyn Urge Senate to Pass Relief for Texas, Louisiana

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Sept. 4:

U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and John Kennedy (R-La.) today wrote Senate leadership requesting the U.S. Senate take up emergency supplemental appropriations to ensure a full recovery from Hurricane Laura's destruction in Texas and Louisiana.

In the letter the senators wrote:

"From initial reports, Hurricane Laura has caused tens of billions of dollars of damage. Understandably, the COVID-19 pandemic and other disasters are depleting many of the accounts that fund disaster recovery. As it currently stands, without additional funding for these accounts, there may be insufficient funds to fully recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Laura."

After Hurricane Laura made landfall, Sen. Cruz participated in a roundtable with President Trump in Orange, Texas. Sen. Cruz also surveyed storm damage with members of the Texas delegation.

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September 4, 2020

To: The Honorable Mitch McConnell, Majority Leader, United States Senate, S-230, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. 20510

The Honorable Chuck Schumer, Minority Leader, United States Senate, S-221. U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Majority Leader McConnell and Minority Leader Schumer,

In light of the destruction from Hurricane Laura, we write today to request the Senate consider emergency supplemental appropriations to ensure efficient and robust recovery operations in Louisiana and Texas. Hurricane Laura was one of the most powerful Hurricanes to ever develop in the Gulf of Mexico. As a Category 4 storm, winds higher than 170 miles per hour destroyed nearly every structure in Hurricane Laura's path. In comparison, when Hurricane Katrina, the most expensive hurricane in U.S. history, made landfall in Louisiana in 2005, it was a Category 3 storm. Moreover, Hurricane Laura was so powerful that it carried to the Louisiana-Arkansas state line as a Category 1 storm causing damage 600 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Please know that our constituents are in need, and we stand ready to advance all disaster response legislation necessary to provide immediate relief and recovery assistance.

Due to the path of the storm, an abundance of COVID-19 caution, and current weather conditions, damage assessments are still ongoing. From initial reports, Hurricane Laura has caused tens of billions of dollars of damage. Understandably, the COVID-19 pandemic and other disasters are depleting many of the accounts that fund disaster recovery. As it currently stands, without additional funding for these accounts, there may be insufficient funds to fully recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Laura.

While the media seems to have moved on from this disaster, our constituents have not. Families and businesses affected by the Hurricane must now contend with the difficulty of rebuilding their lives during a global pandemic. They warrant the Senate's immediate attention and support during this critical time.

Thank you for your attention to our request. We look forward to working with you to ensure that this Hurricane recovery effort will not be delayed due to a lack of funding.