Following Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic damage throughout Florida’s Gulf Coast, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio met with local officials and volunteers from the barrier islands to discuss the storm’s impact and current recovery efforts.
In photos released by the Florida Senator’s office, Rubio visited the barrier islands and got a briefing from Gulf Coast barrier island officials, thanked volunteers from the Florida Division of Emergency Management, and met with members of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
Republican Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, along with Florida colleagues sent a letter to Democratic President Joe Biden urging the direction of federal agencies to expedite requested resources and implement emergency policy flexibilities to help the people of Florida.
“Mr. President: In the wake of Hurricane Helene, we write to urge you to direct federal agencies to expedite state-requested resources and actions and to implement precedented emergency policy flexibilities to facilitate a seamless federal response,” the Republicans wrote.
Joining Senators Rubio and Scott were U.S. Representatives Greg Steube, Anna Paulina Luna, Laurel Lee, Gus Bilirakis, Vern Buchanan, Kat Cammack, Byron Donalds, and Neal Dunn.
Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm, causing catastrophic damage along Florida’s Gulf Coast. The congressional Republicans said it’s crucial for the federal government to expedite state-requested resources and authorize key policy flexibilities in order for Floridians to make a swift recovery.
The letter outlines specific requests on various issues, including: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on temporary housing assistance; issue storm-specific guidance for debris removal, demolition, and disposal; ensure sand removal, screening, and placement is eligible for Category A debris removal public assistance reimbursement; Emergency Permitting Procedures from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE); issue Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies (FCCE) shoreline easement policy memorandum; and Block Grant Authority for Agricultural Disaster Relief from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Here is the full text of the letter from Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott and Florida congressional Republicans to President Joe Biden:
FLRepublicans_lettertoBiden_hurricaneheleneoct4
At the same time, Florida Democrats attacked Republican Senator Rick Scott’s hurricane hypocrisy.
