U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) and U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) led the entire Missouri congressional delegation in supporting the Missouri governor’s request for a disaster declaration for 13 counties devastated by severe flooding.
In an April 24 letter to President Donald Trump, the delegation wrote, “The severity and magnitude of the flooding has caused several communities to be evacuated and has resulted in the destruction of homes, farms, and businesses.”
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson is seeking the disaster declaration, which if granted, would help the counties access federal resources for recovery efforts. The governor declared a state of emergency on March 21 in response to worsening conditions along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers as a result of excessive rainfall, releases from upstream reservoirs, and snow melt.
“It has now been well over a month after the flooding began, and some areas still can’t be accessed,” Gov. Parson said on Wednesday, adding that he was confident federal assistance will be forthcoming.
The state and local governments are burdened by trying to cover costs related to protecting lives and property, the letter from the congressmen to the president noted.
“We respectfully request your prompt action to ensure that these communities receive the immediate support needed to respond to the disaster,” the congressmen wrote in the letter, which was also signed by U.S. Reps. Billy Long (R-MO) and Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO).