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Rutherford Votes to Provide Disaster Relief for Northeast Florida Families and Businesses

December 21, 2017

To watch Congressman Rutherford's floor speech in support of hurricane relief, click HERE.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives passed an Emergency Disaster Aid Package, H.R.4667, with a bipartisan vote of 251-169. This supplemental funding bill provides $81 billion for much needed disaster relief and recovery efforts in Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands affected by the recent hurricanes and in areas of California affected by the on-going wildfires. The bill includes $27.6 billion for FEMA disaster response and recovery, $3.8 billion for the Department of Agriculture for crop loss, and $26.1 billion for Community Development Block Grants for housing, businesses and infrastructure.

Congressman John Rutherford said, "This emergency funding provides much needed, and overdue, relief to my district in Northeast Florida. In September, Hurricane Irma caused flooding that the City of Jacksonville had not seen in more than 150 years. Downtown was underwater, power was out for many days, and homes and businesses were shuttered. In our more rural agriculture communities throughout Nassau and St. Johns County, crops were wiped out, hurting our agriculture economy for months, and maybe even years, to come. The City of Jacksonville recently projected that Hurricane Irma will cost $85 million.

"I would be remiss not to commend the quick federal response, the leadership of our Governor, and the planning and coordination of local emergency management officials and first responders who saved lives and made sure our community was safe and quickly back up and running. But the federal support in this bill provides the next phase in emergency response that we so desperately need. I look forward to the Senate's prompt action to send this bill to the President's desk."

Click HERE for more information about the impact of this legislation.

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