Schatz leads group of 11 senators in calling on updated request for supplemental disaster funding

US Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), led a group of 11 senators from disaster-impacted states in a letter to President Biden urging the administration to reevaluate and resubmit its request for supplemental disaster funding.

“Last October, the Administration requested $23.5 billion for disaster recovery,” the senators wrote. “Since then, the need for recovery resources in our communities have grown and evolved. The nation has also witnessed additional crises, including the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland. This funding is essential for our constituents to move forward in rebuilding their homes, lives, businesses, farms and communities.”

The senators continued, “We request that the Administration reevaluate the nation’s outstanding disaster recovery funding requirements and resubmit a request for supplemental appropriations that reflects the current reality. A better understanding of the country’s current urgent needs would inform Congress’s work and we recommend that the Administration act as quickly as possible.”

Schatz is a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. In addition to Schatz, the letter was signed by US Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).

The full text of the letter is available here.