Blumenthal Calls for Fair Share of Emergency Resources for Connecticut in Wake of Hurricane Irene

(Hartford, CT) – Senator Richard Blumenthal today surveyed damage and met with local officials from the Connecticut shoreline and the Housatonic River Valley that continue to rebuild after the destruction brought by Hurricane Irene. During his tours, Blumenthal called for legislators in Washington to put politics aside and fully fund disaster relief and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Relief Fund as they have after previous disasters.

“In times of natural disaster, Americans have always come together to aid friends and neighbors – even those who live in different states – to rebuild their homes and communities. The spirit of our nation is that we put people above politics, and provide disaster victims, like Connecticut residents now, with the resources they need to recover,” said Blumenthal. “Communities in Connecticut should not be held hostage by political posturing in Washington. Just as other states have been aided after tornadoes and storms, Connecticut should receive what it fairly deserves.”

Currently, FEMA is funding disaster relief for over 550 disasters including 29 in Oklahoma, 21 in Kentucky, 17 in Texas, 19 in Mississippi and 18 in Kansas. Earlier this week, Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor stated that relief funds for Hurricane Irene would need to be off-set by savings found elsewhere in the federal budget. A chart of states currently receiving funding for open disasters is attached.

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