House GOP Leaves Disaster Struck Communities on the Hook

This morning, every single House Republican voted against covering 100 percent of aid for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria and the California wildfires – leaving states and local communities to come up with 25 percent of the tab for FEMA services, including Public Assistance, Debris Removal, and Individual Assistance.

The Motion to Recommit today would have waived the local cost-share and ensured that the federal government would cover 100 percent of the eligible costs associated with these recent natural disasters, just as was done for Hurricanes Katrina, Wilma, Dennis and Rita.

This is critical because many states – like Florida and Georgia – did not have dedicated disaster funds set aside to pay for such requirements.  The result is that these disasters will require states to dip into their operating budgets – meaning less money for roads, business investment, health care, and schools.

In addition, many communities hit by these disasters are struggling financially as businesses close, homes are rebuilt, and many individuals leave for good.  This reshuffling of economic fortunes creates massive financial stress.  It is in our power to help these towns and cities whether they are in Georgia, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, the U.S. Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico. 

But instead of relieving the financial burdens felt by families struck by disaster, the House Republicans below (from Georgia, Florida, Texas, Louisiana and California) voted to leave these hard-hit communities on the hook:

Buddy Carter

Drew Ferguson IV

Karen Handel

Rob Woodall

Austin Scott

Doug Collins

Jody Hice

Barry Loudermilk

Rick Allen

Tom Graves

Matt Gaetz

Neal Dunn

Ted Yoho

John Rutherford

Ron DeSantis

Bill Posey

Daniel Webster

Gus Bilirakis

Dennis Ross

Vern Buchanan

Thomas Rooney

Brian Mast

Francis Rooney

Mario Diaz-Balart

Carlos Curbelo

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Louie Gohmert Jr.

Ted Poe

Sam Johnson

John Ratcliffe

Jeb Hensarling

Joe Barton

John Culberson

Kevin Brady

Michael McCaul

Michael Conaway

Kay Granger

Mac Thornberry

Randy Weber

Vicente Gonzalez

Bill Flores

Jodey Arrington

Lamar Smith

Pete Olson

Will Hurd

Kenny Marchant

Roger Williams

Michael Burgess

John Carter

Pete Sessions

Brian Babin

Steve Scalise

Clay Higgins

Mike Johnson

Ralph Abraham

Garret Graves

Doug LaMalfa

Tom McClintock

Paul Cook

Jeff Denham

David Valadao

Devin Nunes

Kevin McCarthy

Steve Knight

Ed Royce

Ken Calvert

Mimi Walters

Dana Rohrabacher

Darrell Issa

Duncan Hunter

Democrats continue to stand with all Americans devastated by these disasters, and we will work tirelessly to provide the resources they need to repair, recover, and rebuild for a more resilient future.