Today, Congressman Rick W. Allen (R-GA-12) co-led a letter of support with U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA), as well as U.S. Representatives Buddy Carter (R-GA-01), Sanford Bishop (D-GA-02), Drew Ferguson (R-GA-03), Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), Nikema Williams (D-GA-05), Rich McCormick (R-GA-06), Lucy McBath (D-GA-07), Austin Scott (R-GA-08), Mike Collins (R-GA-10), Barry Loudermilk (R-GA-11), David Scott (D-GA-13), and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA-14) which urges key Congressional leaders to approve Governor Brian Kemp's request for roughly $12 billion in federal supplemental disaster appropriations for Georgia in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
In the letter, the lawmakers write: "On behalf of our farmers, families, and communities beginning the long road to recovery, we urge you to quickly produce a disaster supplemental funding package that includes this vitally important funding for Georgia’s households, businesses, essential infrastructure, agricultural economy, and more."
At its peak, Helene left more than 1 million Georgians without power, demanded 300 boil water advisories across the state, damaged over 200,000 homes, and left thousands of families displaced. Georgia’s agriculture and forestry industries were left reeling in Helene’s wake, with approximately one-third of the state’s pecan and cotton crops destroyed, over 100 poultry houses damaged or destroyed, and 1.5 million acres of timber damaged or destroyed. Most tragically, 225 individuals–including 34 Georgians–lost their lives in Helene’s devastation.
The lawmakers continue: "To date, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided over $243 million in individual and household assistance to Georgians in need and continues to operate numerous disaster recovery and assistance centers across the state. We applaud the public servants and community leaders who have helped Georgia along its first steps towards recovery, but we know that more needs to be done, especially for our farmers and rural communities."
To read the full letter, CLICK HERE.
