Press Releases

Washington DC – Today, U. S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) released the following statement after a bipartisan vote of 230 to 201 by the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a Continuing Resolution that extends funding for federal agencies, including education, health, housing, and public safety programs, through December 16. That legislation also included $18 Billion for the critical FEMA Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) to provide FEMA the resources it needs to coordinate and fund response and recovery efforts for the nation’s major disasters:

“Today, Florida’s U.S. House Republicans failed every family still reeling in our state who will soon need the federal government’s full strength and resources to rebuild and recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Ian. Indeed, President Biden stepped up for Florida this week by issuing a Major Disaster Declaration to confront this merciless storm.

Yet as we only begin to survey Ian’s horrific toll, not one Florida Republican in Congress voted this week for a continuing resolution that ensures federal emergency aid can reach Floridians without delay and ignored the common interest we share by supporting the speedy flow of FEMA assistance to those still suffering in Puerto Rico, Alaska, and New Mexico. As every Florida Republican knows, very soon, Ian will put our state in the same fiscal pinch. 

We cannot leave people and communities behind as they still stagger to pick up the pieces from disastrous floods, wildfires, and hurricanes. Not one Florida Republican in Congress who was present, voted to put the interests of those suffering from tragedy above their own political fortunes. Florida Congressional Republicans not only failed every family reeling from the punch Hurricane Ian just landed in our state, but they just slapped away every American who reaches for a helping hand in a tragic time of need.”

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