Press Releases
Miss. Delegation Urges Biden to Approve Federal Disaster Declaration for Mississippi
Washington,
March 25, 2023
JACKSON, MISS. – The Mississippi congressional delegation today shared their strong support for Governor Tate Reeves’s request for a federal disaster declaration after a deadly storm tore across the state. If approved, the disaster declaration would unlock additional federal resources to supplement state recovery efforts.
U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., and U.S. Representatives Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., Trent Kelly, R-Miss., Michael Guest, R-Miss., and Mike Ezell, R-Miss., endorsed the Governor’s request for an expedited major disaster declaration for the State of Mississippi, and for direct federal assistance for Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe, and Sharkey counties. “In the wake of recent extreme weather that brought severe thunderstorms and tornadoes to the State of Mississippi, we request your full consideration of Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves’s request for a federal disaster declaration,” the lawmakers wrote. The letter follows a preliminary disaster assessment which highlights the extent of loss of life, injuries, and damage. The lawmakers also shared their support for additional declarations for other counties as the state continues assessing the severity of damages. “Currently, available resources from state and local governments and volunteer organizations are inadequate to meet the state’s recovery needs. Significant federal assistance and cooperation are needed for Mississippi to rebuild,” the lawmakers wrote. See the full letter here or below. Dear President Biden, In the wake of recent extreme weather that brought severe thunderstorms and tornadoes to the State of Mississippi, we request your full consideration of Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves’s request for a federal disaster declaration for areas of the State of Mississippi affected by, or areas that may be affected by, these severe storms. We appreciate the efforts of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and anticipate expeditious support from the agency in assisting state and local officials in Mississippi as they continue assessing the severity of damages. Should Governor Reeves request federal disaster declarations for other counties, we ask that you also give these requests your full consideration. Initial damage reports indicate Mississippi experienced multiple tornadoes across four counties on March 24, 2023. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) reported that as of the morning of March 25, 2023, at least 23 Mississippians have lost their lives and dozens more were injured. As Governor Reeves included in his request, the initial damage assessments indicate that hundreds of homes, businesses, and other structures were destroyed or suffered major damage across a broad swath of our state. There was also significant damage to the power grid in these areas. Currently available resources from state and local governments and volunteer organizations are inadequate to meet the state’s recovery needs. Significant federal assistance and cooperation are needed for Mississippi to rebuild. Thank you for your consideration of this request. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you need further assistance in this effort. |