BURLINGTON, VT – Ahead of the Senate’s return to Capitol Hill for the September session, Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) released the following statement urging his colleagues and congressional leadership to prioritize disaster relief funding in any upcoming spending agreement:  

“I have said, time and time again, that disaster relief funding must be a critical component to any government funding package we see this fall. As my colleagues make their way back to Capitol Hill, I reiterate my call with urgency: Hardworking Vermont families, farmers, and communities need Congress to step up. We cannot fully recover or rebuild without federal help, and Congress is impeding that process.  

“The need for disaster recovery funding has only grown more urgent. FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund is once again out of money. The past year has brought brutal flooding here in Vermont, and catastrophic hurricanes, fires, and tornadoes across the country. These communities—especially the smallest and most rural—are being financially threatened by climate change. They do not have the resources for one ‘100-year weather event,’ let alone two or three in one year. 

“We cannot expect American communities ravaged by disaster to fight this fight alone. We have an obligation to help. This funding is needed to help states address catastrophes that have already occurred, mitigate the pain that has already happened, and make us more resilient before the next disaster hits. The entire country has been absolutely hammered by climate change and changing weather patterns. We need flexible spending for our communities—from Vermont to Louisiana to Hawaii, and everywhere in between—for recovery, relief, and resiliency. We can work together, even in an election year, and get this done.”  

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