Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

More than six months after Hurricane Michael slammed into Northwest Florida, recovery efforts are continuing. On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., met with Panama City officials as he tries to get a relief package through Congress. 

Florida Government & Politics

Marco Rubio Ramps Up Effort to Get Hurricane Michael Relief Effort Through Congress

More than six months after Hurricane Michael slammed into Northwest Florida, recovery efforts are continuing. On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., met with Panama City officials as he tries to get a relief package through Congress. 

More than six months after Hurricane Michael slammed into Northwest Florida, recovery efforts are continuing. On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., met with Panama City officials as he tries to get a relief package through Congress.

Rubio pointed to additional federal funds headed to the area, including newly announced grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to the state government.

“Panama City will receive $2.483 million and Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative, Inc. will receive $31.597 million for Emergency Protective Measures,” Rubio’s office noted.

Still, the senator was not happy about efforts to get more funds to the area.

“It’s shameful that my colleagues have decided to play politics with disaster funding at the expense of survivors in the Panhandle who are still suffering and trying to piece their lives, homes, and communities back together,” Rubio said. “Today, I hosted Panama City officials in D.C., and they reiterated just how dire this situation has become. My message to them and to all Hurricane Michael survivors is that you have not been forgotten. I will continue to make the case to my colleagues that it’s time to put politics aside and do what’s right — it’s time to pass a comprehensive disaster relief package.”

Panama City Mayor Greg Brudnicki, Panama City Manager Mark McQueen and Bay County Superintendent  Bill Husfelt met with Rubio on Tuesday. Also attending was former U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Fla., who is now the chairman of Stand Up North Florida. Last month, Southerland spoke before the state Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government about the region’s economic and environmental needs and focused on how North Florida continues to recover from Hurricane Michael.

After the meeting, Rubio doubled down on his efforts to get a relief package through Congress.

“Getting disaster relief passed in Washington has taken way too long,” Rubio said. “This is ridiculous already. Hopefully the House is going to begin the process next week and I hope we can shortly thereafter do something here in the Senate. The people of Northwest Florida in particular have been almost a year waiting for some help from the Federal government. We have to act now. And I’ll be continuing to work very hard to get something done, because it has taken far too long, and far too many people have been hurt.”

 

Kevin Derby can be reached at [email protected].

Author

  • Kevin Derby

    Originally from Jacksonville, Kevin Derby is a contributing writer for Florida Daily and covers politics across Florida.

    View all posts

Archives

Related Articles

Florida Government & Politics

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has appointed James Uthmeier, his former chief of staff, as the new attorney general. Uthmeier, 37, was sworn in during...

Political News

With bipartisan support, Florida Senator Rick Scott (R) co-introduced a bill with Sen. Maggie Hassan, (D – NH) to reduce America’s reliance on China...

Political News

UPDATE: Ashley Moody was officially sworn-in as a US Senator, joining fellow Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott. Earlier today, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced...

Political News

Marco Rubio is being interviewed today at a Senate Confirmation Hearing for his nomination as US Secretary of State. Rubio’s tenure in the Senate...

Advertisement
Florida Daily
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

HOW WE COLLECT E-MAIL INFORMATION:

If you sign up to subscribe to Florida Daily’s e-mail newsletter, you will provide us your e-mail address and name, voluntarily, and we will never obtain any of your contact information that you don’t voluntarily provide.

HOW WE USE AN E-MAIL ADDRESS IF YOU VOLUNTARILY PROVIDE IT TO US:

If you voluntarily provide us with your name and email address, we will use it to send you one email update per weekday. Your email address will not be given to any third parties.

YOUR CONTROLS:

You will have the option to unsubscribe to our E-mail update at anytime by clicking an unsubscribe link that will be provided in each E-Mail we send.