DELAURO, DEMOCRATIC LEADER NANCY PELOSI TOUR EAST HAVEN STORM DAMAGE

Joined by Lt. Gov. Wyman, East Haven Mayor April Capone, FEMA, state emergency management officials

New Haven, CT — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) welcomed House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi to East Haven today to tour damage from Tropical Storm Irene and heard from federal and local emergency response officials about the ongoing recovery efforts.

Congresswoman DeLauro and Leader Pelosi were joined by Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman, East Haven Mayor April Capone, Federal Coordinating Officer Stephen M. De Blasio Sr. of FEMA, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Peter Boynton, and Director of the Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Bill Hackett. The federal and local officials provided information on the storm damage suffered in East Haven, the ongoing recovery efforts, and what to expect going forward.

Federal assistance and funding is critical to long-term recovery efforts, but FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund is rapidly running out and Congress must approve more funding. Yesterday, the Senate passed a bipartisan increase of $6.9 billion in disaster relief aid, without any budget offsets. Republican Leadership in the House of Representatives has proposed $1 billion in immediate funding, offset by $1.5 billion in cuts to Energy Department funds, and $2.65 billion for next year.

“I thank Leader Pelosi for joining us today in East Haven to witness the damage and recovery efforts firsthand. And I thank Mayor April Capone, who has been shown real leadership in the face of this storm. Leader Pelosi and I know that is our responsibility as Members of Congress to ensure that towns have the resources they need to quickly recover from such storms,” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “We are working to ensure that FEMA and the other federal agencies involved in recovery efforts have the funds necessary to respond to this disaster. The House should take action immediately on the Senate-passed legislation to avoid delaying critical aid to Americans in need.”

“In these times of crisis, it is our responsibility in Congress to support local communities and aid in their recovery,” Leader Pelosi said. “Seeing the devastation firsthand here in Connecticut makes it clear that Congress must act swiftly to help families in need. Speaker Boehner must allow a vote on the Senate-passed bipartisan disaster relief bill without further delay.”