HYDE-SMITH GETS POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON MISS. DISASTER REQUEST FOR TORNADO RECOVERY ASSISTANCE
At Hearing, Hyde-Smith Also Asks Homeland Sec. Mullin for Clarification on Possible FEMA Aid Threshold Reforms
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today said she’s optimistic President Trump will approve the State of Mississippi’s latest request for a major disaster declaration after receiving positive feedback from top officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
At a Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee hearing Tuesday afternoon, Hyde-Smith sought an update on the disaster request submitted by Governor Tate Reeves following devastating early-May tornadoes in Franklin, Lamar, Lawrence, Lincoln, and Wilkinson counties.
“Mississippi recently submitted requests for both public assistance and individual assistance following the tornadoes on May the 6th and the 7th, very close to where I live, and we’re still waiting for a determination,” Hyde-Smith said. “Can you tell me the status of those requests, and will you commit to working with our office to ensure we receive a timely response so disaster-affected communities can start rebuilding and get back to as-normal-as-possible as we can?”
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar indicated the President has accepted the request and that final assessments are being made on the request for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance.
“My understanding is that we're still working with the state to do the final assessment. We know the declaration has been made by the governor. We know the president did accept that declaration, but now we’re looking at what the cost is for our funding to actually reimburse for public assistance,” Mullin said.
“So, we did get that. It was approved by the president. We do go through the process to be able to make sure of the validation of all the costs. As you know, the public assistance grants are pretty formulaic,” Edgar said. “Like the secretary said, we have 13 open right now that need to go all the way through to get passed through.”
“Thank you. That would be great because I toured just about all that devastation, and it truly was devastation,” Hyde-Smith responded.
Hyde-Smith also questioned Mullin about possible changes in FEMA public assistance thresholds following the release of a final report issued by the FEMA Review Council formed by President Trump to recommend agency changes that best serve the national interest.
“States like Mississippi closely monitor FEMA’s public assistance disaster declaration thresholds. You know, we have a lot of hurricanes. We have a lot of tornadoes, and there’s just been considerable discussion regarding potential changes to these thresholds and what they mean for states’ ability to qualify for this assistance. Will you provide clarity on whether FEMA is planning to adjust individual states’ disaster thresholds for public assistance major declarations with those changes, what those changes may look like, and what timeline states should expect for implementation?” Hyde-Smith said.
Mullin said the department is looking for ways to improve the administration of disaster assistance and outlined flaws and inefficiencies with the current process.
“We are looking at ways to reform it,” Mullin said. “FEMA was never set up to be the complete all. It was supposed to be there to assist, not to be the final solution, assist the state or the community on its bad day when they met certain qualifications.”
“For us to look at grant systems for the state and allow them to be responsible for it when they hit certain thresholds is something that we are looking at for public assistance, and that we think the dollar will go farther. The president has made it very clear that he wants to put the dollar closer to the resource,” the Secretary added.
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