Sens. Carper, Coons Join Senate Democrats in Calling for Comprehensive Approach to Disaster Recovery

Targeted News Service (Press Releases)

WILMINGTON, Del., Nov. 7 -- The office of Sen. Christopher Coons, D-Del., issued the following news release:

U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) have joined Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) in calling on the Trump administration to put forward a comprehensive package to help several areas of the country recover from the onslaught of natural disasters in recent months. The administration has committed to releasing such a package in the coming weeks.

In a letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, Senate Democrats outlined what must be included in a comprehensive package that would ensure adequate investments in infrastructure, health, housing, education, agriculture, and conservation needs that will mitigate further damage in future disasters and make our communities more resilient.

The text of the letter is available HERE: https://www.leahy.senate.gov/download/omb-supplemental-request-11-3-17.

In October, the Senate passed a $36.5 billion emergency supplemental that contained $18.7 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund, $16 billion for National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) debt forgiveness, $1.27 billion for nutrition assistance for Puerto Rico, and $576.5 million to combat wildfires.

In September, the Senate passed a $15.25 billion emergency supplemental package that contained $7.4 billion for the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund and $450 million for the Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Program. In addition, the legislation provided $7.4 billion in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding through the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

In addition to Carper, Coons, Schumer and Leahy, other senators to sign the letter included: Senators Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif), Kirsten Gilibrand (N.Y.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif), Christopher Murphy (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Michael Bennet (Colo.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.).