U.S. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) applauded committee approval of a half billion dollars in flood relief funding on Thursday.
The disaster relief funds were included in a short-term funding package approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee. The funds will be administered through community development block grants to West Virginia, Louisiana, Maryland and additional states.
Capito, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, applauded inclusion of the flood relief funding on Thursday.
“This funding is what our great state needs to recover in the aftermath of June’s severe storms and flooding,” Capito said. “I appreciate that my colleagues in leadership and on the Appropriations Committee recognized the scope and scale of the damages incurred by my state as a result of this disaster. Getting these resources out to our communities quickly will help those families who are just beginning to rebuild get back on their fee.”
U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MI), the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, lauded Capito for her work on the issue.
“Sen. Capito is to be commended for her work on behalf of the people of West Virginia as they continue to recover from devastating floods,” Cochran said. “Her leadership has been instrumental in helping secure additional funding for disaster relief.”
Cassidy added that the disaster relief funding would be a “down payment” that brings peace of mind to families faced with potentially leaving their homes after catastrophic flooding hit Louisiana in August.
“I’m grateful to my fellow senators, the governor and the entire delegation for moving so swiftly – receiving relief this quickly is unprecedented and shows the depth of need in Louisiana,” Cassidy said. “This will go a long way to help our families begin to recover, rebuild and prosper.”
Scalise, meanwhile, called the inclusion of the disaster relief funds a “major victory” for the people of South Louisiana.
“While there is more work to be done, securing this down payment is a critical first step in the recovery process,” Scalise said. “I will continue working tirelessly, along with my colleagues in Louisiana’s congressional delegation, to ensure that the families and communities impacted by this historic flooding have the help they need to rebuild.”