WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Senator Rick Scott led Senator Marco Rubio and members of the Florida Delegation in the House of Representatives in sending a bipartisan, bicameral letter to President Joe Biden in support of Governor Ron DeSantis’ request for a Major Disaster Declaration in Florida’s panhandle due to the recent catastrophic storms that impacted the northern portion of the state. Representatives Carlos Gimenez, Kat Cammack, Maria Elvira Salazar, Michael Waltz, Bill Posey, Cory Mills, Anna Paulina Luna, Gus Bilirakis, Aaron Bean, Neal Dunn, Daniel Webster, Jared Moskowitz, Darren Soto, Scott Franklin and Mario Diaz-Balart joined in supporting the letter.

Read the full letter HERE or below.

February 6, 2024

The Honorable Joe Biden

President

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, D.C. 2050

Dear Mr. President:

We write in support of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ request for a Major Disaster Declaration due to the January 9, 2024 tornadoes in North Florida.

The catastrophic power of these tornadoes, as well as the storm’s lightning, heavy rain and strong winds, have left tens of thousands without power and displaced individuals from their homes. Preliminary damage assessments indicate hundreds of homes are damaged or destroyed, many of which may be decades old and constructed before the implementation of modern building codes and mitigation measures. Based on those assessments, Governor DeSantis has requested a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Florida, and specifically requested Individual Assistance and Public Assistance for Bay, Jackson and Walton Counties, along with Hazard Mitigation statewide. In light of the extraordinary scope of the destruction and the extent of outstanding clean-up and recovery efforts, federal assistance is needed to ensure Floridians fully recover from the storms.

Ensuring the state has access to the federal resources it needs is imperative to protect Floridians, their property and their communities. As such, we urge you to approve the State of Florida’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration and specific requests for Individual Assistance, Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation, subject to all applicable laws and regulations, which will provide the assistance necessary to ensure the safety of our state.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

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