Bilirakis Statement on Denied Request for Federal Disaster Declaration

Today, the Obama administration denied Governor Rick Scott's request for a federal disaster declaration for multiple counties in Florida, including Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough. Congressman Bilirakis has been a tireless advocate for the victims of flooding in his district, proactively engaging all levels of government to provide relief to those in need. He has spoken multiple times with FEMA administrators and Governor Scott regarding the substantial need within the community and spearheaded a bipartisan effort to convince the Obama Administration that the suffering of the people in these areas warranted federal aid and support. In addition, Bilirakis arranged for senior officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to visit Pasco County and discuss opportunities to bring federal resources that would address necessary infrastructure improvements.

Congressman Gus Bilirakis issued the following response to the administration's decision:

"I am very disappointed the administration has denied the Governor's request for assistance for Florida flood victims. I have personally witnessed the hardships of those impacted and believe that existing resources are insufficient to ensure that these families and our community fully recover from this disaster. They deserve relief and I will continue to work with local, state, and federal officials to provide immediate and long-term solutions for my constituents. During my conversation with the Governor, he assured me that the state will be releasing additional aid to assist those in need. I commend him for his leadership and can't thank him enough for being so responsive to repeated phone calls and requests for action. I look forward to learning more about how these new resources can be utilized to help my constituents," Bilirakis added.