Dr. Ruiz Sends Letter to the President Urging Federal Aid for Local Communities Impacted by the Valentine’s Day Flood

======


======

by: Raul Ruiz (D-CA, 36th)

Washington, D.C. - April 18, 2019 - (The Ponder News) -- Representative Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-Palm Desert) sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to devote federal funding to help local communities recover from the Valentine’s Day flood. The letter comes after Governor Gavin Newsom sent a letter to President Trump over the weekend requesting a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for communities across California impacted by February’s flooding.

“I urge President Trump to issue a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration in order to help hundreds of families and local businesses qualify for federal resources and get back on their feet,” said Dr. Ruiz. “Our communities hurt by the Valentine’s Day floods need help to fix roads and property. I have monitored the damage and communicated our local needs to Governor Newsom and applaud his diligent response and request to the President. We must support the people who, due to road damage, endure long drives to medical appointments, loss of customers to their small business, and longer commutes to work. I will continue to track progress and advocate to bring home federal resources to fix our roads and businesses.”

Background

On April 13, Governor Gavin Newsom requested Presidential Major Disaster Declarations to bolster ongoing state and local recovery efforts following severe February storms that caused widespread flooding, mudslides, and damage to critical infrastructure across California.

If granted, the Presidential Major Disaster Declarations would help state, tribal, and local governments with recovery projects including the repair and replacement of disaster-damaged facilities and infrastructure, such as roads, bridges and utilities.

You can read the full text of the Congressman’s letter to the President below.


April 15, 2019


President Donald Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President,

I am writing in support of Governor Gavin Newsom’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration for California communities impacted by the severe winter storms that occurred in February. As the Representative of California 36th Congressional district, I urge you to swiftly provide federal aid to the affected communities, including those I represent in Riverside County and the San Jacinto Mountains.

The major weather event that occurred in mid-February brought heavy winds and rains that caused intense flooding, mudslides, and damaged critical infrastructure including sewage systems and roadways. State Routes 243 and 74, near the town of Idyllwild in the San Jacinto Mountains, were so severely damaged that repairs are estimated to take up to two months to complete, stranding businesses and residents in the area.

I have heard from my constituents about the personal and economic toll these damages have taken on our communities. Road closures have led some residents to struggle to reach their medical appointments, and local economies have suffered due to declines in tourism. Federal aid is essential to helping these communities recover and local residents get back on their feet.

Thank you for your consideration, and I urge you to grant this disaster request as soon as possible. I look forward to working with you to ensure that the individuals affected by these storms have the necessary resources to repair their communities and local infrastructure.

Sincerely,

Raul Ruiz, M.D.
Member of Congress

Chairman Leahy Statement On Emergency Supplemental Appropriations For Recent Disasters

Source: Senator  Patrick J. Leahy - (D - VT)

Washington, D.C. - October 24, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- No one in this chamber is immune from disaster.  Six years ago, Marcelle and I watched with great alarm as communities around Vermont felt the devastating impact of Tropical Storm Irene.  That storm washed away entire communities in our state, tearing down homes, local landmarks and bridges alike.

Republicans and Democrats in the Senate, from across the country, stood by Vermont’s side then to help us rebuild.  Because that is who we are as Americans.  We lift each other up in times of disaster.

Today, in California and across the West, families are returning to the charred ruins of their homes.  In Florida and Texas communities are trying to put their lives back together after Hurricane Harvey and Irma. And in Puerto Rico, hundreds of thousands are still without potable water, electricity, cell service, or adequate medical supplies following Hurricane Maria.  Millions of Americans need us to work together to help lift them up.

That is why it is so disappointing that President Trump seems more concerned with claiming credit for a job well done than the actual situation on the ground, particularly in Puerto Rico.  President Trump has given himself a “10 out of 10” for the Administration’s response to the devastating hurricane, but let’s look at some numbers that really matter. 

It has been 48 days since Hurricane Irma made landfall in Puerto Rico, and 34 days since Hurricane Maria tore through the island. These storms wreaked havoc on those who live there, destroying houses, and killing at least 49 people.  Yet 48 days later nearly 80 percent of the island is still without power, and over 30 percent of the population is without clean drinking water.  Roads are impassable.  Bridges are down.  Hospitals operate on generators.

The Administration was slow to respond to the disaster, and to claim that they get a “10 out of 10” for their response is to ignore the facts.  This is not a reality TV show where the participant with the highest score advances to the next round.  These are people’s lives.  These are people’s homes.  This is the hard part of governing.  This is where we roll up our sleeves and dig in for the long haul.

Today we will vote to advance a disaster package containing $36.5 billion in additional emergency relief.  The bill includes $18.7 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund, $16.0 billion for National Flood Insurance Program debt forgiveness, $1.2 billion for nutrition assistance, and $576.5 million to address wildfires in the Western United States. 

As Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, I support this bill and urge my colleagues to do the same.  If we do not act, the Disaster Relief Fund and the Flood Insurance Program will run out of resources in a matter of days.  This money will allow FEMA, the Department of Defense, the Army Corps of Engineers, and other agencies to continue their work in all of the devastated communities, and families to begin rebuilding their homes. 

But this is still just the next step on the path to recovery.

Last week I met with the Governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rosselló.  He detailed the unique challenges facing Puerto Rico.  The electric grid was almost completely destroyed.  Its infrastructure was demolished.  Houses were flattened.  At the same time, Puerto Rico faces a fiscal situation that will make it nearly impossible for it to provide the federal match required for most disaster assistance programs, and it faces a Medicaid funding crisis that may leave nearly one million people without health care in just a matter of months.

Our response cannot be business as usual.  Going forward we need to tailor disaster assistance to meet Puerto Rico’s unique challenges.  We may need to consider legislation to address its unique needs.  And, most importantly, we need to think long term.  To simply replace and repair what was destroyed would be short-sighted.

We must help Puerto Rico recover and rebuild to be more resilient and better prepared.  We should invest in the 3.4 million U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico and their infrastructure so the next disaster is not a humanitarian crisis.

This opportunity is not unique to Puerto Rico.  We must acknowledge that historic storms are now annual occurrences, and we must respond accordingly.  Across the country, from the wildfires in California to the flood damage in Florida, Texas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, we can invest in technology, conservation and infrastructure that will mitigate further damage and make our communities more resilient.

This will require a commitment from the United States Government that is not measured in days, or weeks or months, but in years.  A commitment that does not waiver, and a commitment that does not depend on whether you live in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Today, I urge all Senators to support this emergency supplemental that will provide much needed assistance to disasters across the country.  But this is still just the next step on the path to recovery.

The Trump Administration has committed to putting forward a third, more comprehensive disaster package in the coming weeks.  As Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I intend to hold the Administration to that commitment.