The entire Florida delegation in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House sent a letter to President Joe Biden in support of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ request to approve a Major Disaster Declaration in response to Hurricane Ian.
Hurricane Ian made landfall near Cayo Costa, Florida as a Category 4 major hurricane, resulting in ongoing, catastrophic damage and life-threatening conditions in the southwestern part of the state. As it continues across the peninsula, the storm is expected to cause extreme storm surge, damaging winds, widespread rainfall, power outages, and other severe damage throughout Florida.
The full text of the letter is below.
Dear Mr. President:
We write in support of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ request for a Major Disaster Declaration due to Hurricane Ian, which is currently causing catastrophic conditions as a Category 4 major hurricane. Hurricane Ian’s historic size, sustained winds and dangerously slow pace, which stand to affect virtually the entire state, will produce significant flooding, massive power outages and widespread damage throughout Florida. As such, we request that you promptly approve Governor DeSantis’ request for a Major Disaster Declaration for all of Florida’s 67 counties.
This historic hurricane will continue to impact the state for some time, and the full extent of damage will not be known for days. However, approving this declaration request will allow Floridians to be better prepared for the recovery phase. As such, we urge you to approve the State of Florida’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration, which will provide the assistance necessary for our constituents to recover and rebuild.
Floridians are incredibly resilient, and with cooperation at all levels of government, we will rebuild stronger than ever. Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.
