WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) delivered opening remarks today at a hearing held by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee, where he urged the committee to advance an appropriations package that includes Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds, which are critical to helping communities like Vermont recover from natural disasters like this summer’s catastrophic flooding.   

“Communities that experience weather disasters, like this summer’s brutal flooding in Vermont that damaged thousands of homes and hundreds of thousands of acres of agricultural land, turn to the federal government for help. While I am grateful we were successful in supplementing the Disaster Relief Funds following the devastating flooding in July, more must be done to give our communities the support they need to rebuild. Vermont is made up of small towns and communities that don’t have millions of dollars to rebuild dams without diverting from other needs like housing and health care, which is why the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds are so critical,” said Sen. Welch in his testimony. 

“Failing to prioritize disaster funding now will leave our constituents feeling that their government has abandoned them to play partisan games. I urge this Committee to approve appropriations funding that includes Community Development Block Grants-Disaster Relief funding.” 

Watch Senator Welch’s full remarks at the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing here. 

Read the full transcript as prepared here. 

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