News

Miami, FL – Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) and U.S. Representatives Neal Dunn (R-FL), Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Al Lawson (D-FL) requested FEMA Administrator Brock Long quickly approve the State of Florida’s request for direct housing assistance for areas hit by Hurricane Michael.  Housing assistance requested includes recreational vehicles, mobile homes, direct lease and other needed resources in the affected areas.
 
The full text of the letter is below.

Dear Administrator Long:

It has been more than two weeks since Hurricane Michael made landfall in North Florida, and many are still struggling to repair and rebuild their lives. Schools in the most heavily impacted areas remain closed, and people are still working to find alternative housing solutions due to their homes being uninhabitable. The magnitude of this storm requires the use of all available resources from FEMA to ensure recovery. As such, we ask that you quickly approve the state of Florida’s request for direct housing assistance in the affected areas.

Hurricane Michael caused catastrophic damage across the Panhandle of Florida. The requested resources, which includes recreational vehicles, mobile homes, direct lease, multifamily lease and repair, and group sites, must be deployed immediately in order to reduce suffering and allow displaced individuals to recover from the storm. Effective housing alternatives are critical in the Panhandle’s recovery effort, and the swift approval of Florida’s request will ensure that needed housing resources are deployed. Northwest Florida suffered catastrophic damage to its housing stock, and those Floridians will need every available federal resource to aid in their recovery.

Thank you for your attention to this request. We look forward to your response.       

Sincerely,

Timeline of Rubio Actions Related to Hurricane Michael:

• On October 24, 2018, Senator Rubio, Nelson were joined by Representatives Dunn, Gaetz, and Lawson in urging Secretary Ross to approve the Governor’s request for a federal fishery resource disaster declaration due to Hurricane Michael’s impacts on the Florida Panhandle and its fishing communities.
• On October 22, 2018, Rubio urged Secretary of the Air Force, Heather Wilson, to repair and restore the F-22 Raptors damaged in Hurricane Michael to mission capable status as soon as possible.
• On October 22, 2018, Rubio encouraged FEMA Administrator Brock Long to implement recommendations outlined in a report by the Office of Inspector General in order to help Florida repair and rebuild from the devastation caused by Hurricane Michael, and future storms.
• On October 16, 2018, Rubio urged Secretaries Carson, Mnuchin, and Director Mulvaney to provide federal relief for Floridians impacted by Hurricane Michael.
• On October 16, 2018, Rubio met with Franklin County and Gulf County officials to discuss the ongoing recovery efforts after Hurricane Michael.     
• On October 15, 2018, Rubio surveyed the damage caused by Hurricane Michael and met with local officials in Marianna Florida.
• On October 15, 2018, Rubio urged Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to assist Florida schools affected by Hurricane Michael, particularly, by quickly approving Project SERV applications, which are critical to recovery efforts
• On October 15, 2018, Senators Rubio and Nelson, with members of the Florida delegation, sent a letter urging FEMA Administrator Brock Long to approve Florida Governor Rick Scott’s request to initiate the Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program for the remaining 13 counties impacted by Hurricane Michael.
• On October 12, 2018, Rubio surveyed the damage caused by Hurricane Michael in the Florida Panhandle.
• On October 12, 2018, Rubio and Nelson with Rep. Neal Dunn urged Secretary Wilson and General Goldfein to expedite repair and restoration operations at Tyndall Air Force Base, which was critically impacted during Hurricane Michael.
• On October 11,2018, Rubio and Nelson urged Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) Robert Wilkie to authorize increased outreach efforts and benefits assistance for Florida veterans impacted by Hurricane Michael.
• On October 11, 2018, FEMA Administrator Brock Long briefed Rubio on damage caused by Hurricane Michael.
• On October 10, 2018, ahead of Hurricane Michael’s landfall, Rubio urgedAttorney General Sessions, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, and Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Charles Rettig to assist communities affected by the storm.  
• On October 10, 2018, following Hurricane Michael’s landfall, Rubio, Nelson and Florida Representatives urged President Donald Trump to approve Florida’s request for a major disaster declaration. Today, the President approved the State of Florida’s major disaster declaration.
• On October 9, 2018, Rubio joined Senator Nelson and Florida Representatives in urging President Trump to approve Florida Governor Rick Scott’s request for a pre-landfall emergency declaration ahead of Hurricane Michael.