Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby of Alabama introduced the emergency supplemental appropriations legislation that will help millions of Americans recover and rebuild from recent natural disasters. The measure provides $13.45 billion in supplemental funding for states and territories recently ravaged by tornadoes, flooding, hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons, and other such events. The Senate voted on the motion to proceed to the legislation on Tuesday.
Senator Grassley said, ?I thank Chairman Shelby for working with me and other senators from the Midwest to add the areas affected by the recent flooding eligible for the funding in this bill. This will help meet some additional needs beyond the regular FEMA disaster aid that is flowing as a result of President Trump?s declaration of a major disaster. I also appreciate Chairman Shelby?s willingness to keep working with us in the future as more estimates come in and more needs are identified.?
Senator Joni Ernst remarked, ?In my years as a member of the Iowa National Guard, I was on the front lines of several major floods?including the 2008 Cedar Rapids flood and the 2011 Missouri River flood. Tragically, the flooding and destruction I witnessed last week back home are as bad as I?ve ever seen. I am committed to doing everything in my power to make sure Iowans have every bit of help they need. The expanded eligibility for assistance from this disaster relief package is welcome news and will get more desperately needed aid to Iowans.?
The emergency supplemental appropriations legislation, H.R. 268, provides $13.45 billion in supplemental funding for states and territories ravaged by tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons, and other such events in 2017 and 2018. It was announced that congressional appropriators in the Senate have amended the disaster legislation to expand eligibility in certain accounts for states in the Midwest, like Iowa, and the South that have experienced catastrophic flooding and tornadoes in 2019.
