Fitzpatrick Calls on House to Pass Disaster Assistance

On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R-8th) joined colleagues from the Hurricane Irene Coalition in a letter to Speaker Boehner and Minority Leader Pelosi urging their support for federal disaster funding in response to the storm. 

At a press conference, Fitzpatrick and members of the coalition outlined the scope of the damage in their districts as a result of recent disasters and expressed concerns from their constituents.

“Millions of people across the Northeast have been affected by Hurricane Irene,” said Fitzpatrick.  “This natural disaster is not confined to congressional districts or state boundaries. It is a national emergency which requires an appropriate national response.”

According to a release, the Hurricane Irene Coalition is a bipartisan group of Members whose districts were affected by the storm.

It has two purposes:

1. To ensure FEMA has the resources it needs to support the recovery effort
2. To work with FEMA and other federal agencies and serve as a resource for members to support recovery efforts in their districts

The text of the letter from Fitzpatrick to House leaders is included below:

As members of the Hurricane Irene Coalition, we respectfully request your leadership in ensuring FEMA and the other federal agencies involved in the relief and recovery efforts have the funds necessary to fulfill their mission in response to Hurricane Irene.   

Early estimates put the cost of Irene in the billions. Relentless rain, flooding and wind devastated our communities and took the lives of at least 44 people in 13 states.  Meanwhile, the costs of flooding from Tropical Storm Lee are just beginning to mount.

While our constituents are working to get back on their feet, they cannot do it alone. Please provide funding that ensures the swift recovery of the families, farms, businesses in our districts.