On Monday, Florida’s two U.S. senators–Republican Marco Rubio and Rick Scott–urged President Joe Biden to approve Gov. Ron DeSantis’ request for an emergency declaration due to Tropical Storm Fred, which made landfall near Cape San Blas with maximum sustained winds at 65 miles per hour.
The full text of the letter is below.
Dear Mr. President:
We write in support of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ request for an emergency declaration due to Tropical Storm Fred, which made landfall near Cape San Blas with maximum sustained winds at 65 miles per hour. The storm’s size and potential for torrential rain and storm surge will impact numerous communities along the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend. As such, we request that you promptly approve Governor DeSantis’ request for emergency protective measures for Bay, Calhoun, Citrus, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Manatee, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Taylor, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington Counties.
Ensuring that the state has access to the federal resources it needs is imperative to protecting Floridians, their property, and their communities. As such, we urge you to approve the State of Florida’s request for emergency protective measures that will provide the assistance necessary to ensure the safety of our state.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.
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