Today, U.S. Representatives Kathy Castor (FL-14), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23), Lois Frankel (FL-21), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Frederica Wilson (FL-24), Val Demings (FL-10), Stephanie Murphy (FL-07), and Darren Soto (FL-09) released a joint statement highlighting the inclusion of critical disaster relief supplemental funding in the year-end government appropriations package for Florida families and communities still reeling from the most destructive and expensive hurricane season in history. Democrats in Congress and President Biden have championed federal support for the recovery of communities and businesses in Florida even as Republican members have failed to vote in support of emergency aid to the Sunshine State.

“The $27 billion in disaster aid from Congress is welcome news to Florida families and businesses straining to recover from a deadly and destructive hurricane season. The emergency aid will strengthen recovery efforts for ravaged towns and cities and allow the Small Business Administration’s Florida Business Recovery Centers to continue their important work in impacted counties across the state. Every member of the Florida Democratic delegation knows the importance of these funds reaching our neighbors who remain in need. Over 3.2 million Floridians were left without power for days, farmers are reporting devastating citrus crop loss near 80 percent, and Captiva Island, Sanibel Island and neighboring areas worry it’ll take nearly 20 years to recover. That is why it’s disappointing that just days after Hurricane Ian struck, every Florida Republican – both House and Senate – voted against immediate aid for the Sunshine State. The omnibus also provides localized Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds for community-led projects for long-term housing, infrastructure and utilities needs and funds the Army Corps of Engineers to increase resiliency from future flooding and storms. To ensure Floridians are not saddled with exorbitant recovery costs on their own and continue a healthy recovery, we urge our Republican colleagues to support the omnibus which includes the critical disaster relief aid for Florida. It’s time they stop rejecting bipartisan legislation and start putting Floridians first.”

Details on the disaster relief supplemental can be found here.