Senate Appropriations Committee: President Breaks Gridlock on Disaster Aid

Targeted News Service (Press Releases)

WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following news release:

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) today released the text of emergency supplemental appropriations legislation to help millions of Americans recover and rebuild from recent natural disasters. The measure provides $19.1 billion in relief for states and territories recently ravaged by tornadoes, flooding, hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons, and other such events. Senate action on the package is expected today. Shelby issued the following statement:

"I want to thank President Trump for breaking the gridlock and getting this disaster relief to Americans who so desperately need it. We have been working on this package for several months, and I am pleased to say that help is finally on the way."

The disaster relief bill provides critical aid for states affected by disasters in 2018 and 2019, as well as ongoing relief for disasters that occurred in 2017, including: agriculture disaster relief for farmers; development grants for small, rural communities; assistance for veterans' health facilities and military construction projects; emergency funds for critical timber, watershed, and wastewater infrastructure needs; and resources to restore highways, aviation facilities, and other transit projects. The measure also includes $600 million in nutrition assistance and $304 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for Puerto Rico - key Democratic priorities in the bill. The legislation further includes billions of dollars in additional funding for states in the Midwest and the South that have experienced catastrophic flooding and tornadoes in 2019. Finally, the bill includes an extension of the National Flood Insurance Program.

The following are links to the legislative text and summary for the disaster supplemental:

Disaster Supplemental Text (https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/download/052319-disaster-supplemental-text)