Cohen, Others Call on President Obama to Approve Federal Disaster Relief for Shelby County

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) this week joined Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Bob Corker (R-TN) as well as U.S. Representatives Jim Cooper (TN-05), Diane Black (TN-06), Marsha Blackburn (TN-07), and Stephen Fincher (TN-08) in calling on President Obama to make federal aid available to Shelby County and other areas of Tennessee to support recovery efforts following the severe winter storms of early March that adversely impacted communities throughout the region. On Monday, Governor Bill Haslam asked the President to declare a “major disaster” for the State and to make federal Public Assistance funding and other aid available to Shelby, Carroll, Cheatham, Dickson, Fayette, Haywood, Houston, Madison, and Tipton counties.

“The severe winter storms that swept through Tennessee beginning March 2 created widespread power losses that impacted residents, businesses, schools, and state and local government operations,” wrote the Tennessee federal lawmakers in a letter sent late yesterday, which is available here. “Assessments suggest that damages already exceed $12 million, and the per capita impact in the nine counties included in the Governor’s request are disproportionately high. We strongly urge you to approve Governor Haslam’s request, and we hope you will consider our State’s request as soon as possible.”

Public Assistance is federal aid to state and local governments to pay part of the costs of rebuilding a community's damaged infrastructure. Generally, public assistance programs pay for 75 per cent of the approved project costs. Public Assistance may include debris removal, emergency protective measures and public services, repair of damaged public property, loans needed by communities for essential government functions and grants for public schools.