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| U.S. Representative Gwen Graham Florida's 2nd District Photo credit Graham's Twitter Page |
WASHINGTON, D.C. - As North Florida recovers
from Hurricane Hermine, Representative Gwen Graham has sent a letter to
President Barack Obama asking him to quickly approve any request from the state
for federal disaster assistance.
"Hurricane Hermine and subsequent flooding
have caused more damage than North Florida has seen in a generation,"
Representative Graham said. "We need all hands on deck to help Florida
families recover. I hope the president will quickly approve any request by the
governor for federal assistance."
Representative Graham sent the letter in advance
of the state's likely request for federal assistance to bolster their effort
with bipartisan support. State and federal officials are in the process of
assessing damages from the category one storm.
Representative Graham has been in communication
with state and federal officials since the storm was predicted to hit
Tallahassee. Throughout the storm and in the recovery effort, she has been
updating constituents on social media, supporting local response efforts and
volunteering with the Red Cross and Salvation Army.
A full copy of Representative Graham's letter is
attached and the text is copied, below:
Dear Mr. President:
Hurricane Hermine wreaked substantial damage to
private property and public infrastructure in and around my North Florida
Congressional district.
As of this morning, the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) is working with the State of Florida on damage
assessments to determine whether federal assistance is warranted. After
spending the last several days visiting with people affected by the storm and
being briefed by emergency response officials, I strongly believe that federal
assistance is necessary.
If Governor Rick Scott makes a request for assistance,
I urge you to expeditiously approve that request and focus all appropriate
federal resources to help local and state officials with the recovery. Your
timely response will help affected citizens and communities get back on their
feet as quickly as possible.
The parts of North Florida which received the
brunt of this hurricane are unique to our state and nation. The path of the
storm significantly impacted the Florida state capital of Tallahassee and the
surrounding "Big Bend" region, an area which had not experienced
tropical weather of this magnitude in more than three decades. Communities to
the west and southeast of Tallahassee were also affected by Hurricane Hermine.
This includes the Forgotten and Nature Coasts -- a series of coastal communities
on the Gulf of Mexico known for their unspoiled shoreline, pristine natural
estuaries, and traditional fishing communities which were fighting for economic
survival even before the storm hit.
We have citizens throughout North Florida who
have lost their homes and livelihoods and are still without essential services.
They need our help, and they need it now.
Although the storm has passed, we must not lose
the urgency to help families and communities recover from Hurricane Hermine.
Thank you in advance for expediting federal assistance once requested.
Sincerely,
Gwen Graham
Member of Congress
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