WASHINGTON — Today, Sen Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA) met with Gov John Bel Edwards and the Louisiana Congressional delegation to coordinate response efforts for this year’s flooding. The Louisiana delegation are working together to secure recovery aid for the state of Louisiana.
Sen Cassidy, and the Louisiana Congressional delegation, sent a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administrator Craig Fugate requesting a 90 percent to 10 percent cost-share ratio between FEMA and the State of Louisiana for recovery costs, FEMA carrying the 90 percent of the financial burden.
FEMA normally splits disaster response and recovery costs with the state and local entities at a 75 percent to 25 percent cost-share ratio. However, due to the severity of flooding and the short time between this month’s flooding and the flooding that occurred in Central and Northeast Louisiana in March, Sen Cassidy and the Louisiana Congressional delegation have requested that FEMA consider a cost-share adjustment to 90 percent when making their recommendation to the President. The delegation urges FEMA to consider both flooding disasters as one when making their recommendation for a cost-share structure.
49 of Louisiana’s 65 parishes have been declared federal disaster areas this year, representing each of the six congressional districts. This has put a severe strain on state and local resources. An increase in the cost-share ratio would go a long way to helping the citizens of Louisiana fully recover following these two major flood disasters.
The full text of the Louisiana delegation’s letter to FEMA can be read here.