Press Releases

Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson issued the following statement in response to FEMA funding measure passed today to aid hurricane victims:

"Today, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a measure that adds more than $15 billion to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's budget to support recovery efforts in areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey. The funding package, which may also be used in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, is a critical first step toward reassuring Floridians and other Americans whose lives have literally been blown away by the two storms that they can count on the federal government to help them begin rebuilding their lives.

"It is, however, just a first step.

"Given the magnitude of the damage caused by Hurricane Harvey and the ruinous impact that Irma is projected to have on Florida statewide, $15 billion is a mere drop in the bucket. Before this legislation was passed FEMA's coffers were nearly empty. Harvey is expected to cost about $180 billion and Irma somewhere in the neighborhood of $120 billion.

"Clearly Congress will have to do much, much more and I am committed to fighting for additional funding.

"As a life-long Floridian, I along with millions of others, have survived many storms over the years, including Hurricane Andrew, the last Category 5 hurricane to rip through our Sunshine State. It is painful to witness the monumental suffering experienced by tens of thousands of victims, from the loss of life to irreplaceable family mementos.

"The many more billions of dollars that will likely be required for recovery efforts sounds like a lot of money, but it is important to remember that the aid the hurricane victims receive also will be just a first drop in the bucket toward making their lives whole again.

"I pledge to do all that I can to build 100 percent support work across party lines to secure more funding and urge my Capitol Hill colleagues to remember that no district or state is immune from natural disasters. Times like these are tragic, but they also provide opportunities for us to keep our commitment to the people who sent us here to fight for them and when necessary to prioritize their needs over our political biases."