NEW YORK – Members of the New York delegation from both parties and both Houses of Congress on Thursday urged President Joe Biden to immediately grant Governor Kathy Hochul’s request for federal resources to support the response to Hurricane Ida’s impacts on the state. Hours after the request was made, the president subsequently issued an emergency declaration for the State of New York, designating FEMA assistance for the counties of Bronx, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester. Additional designations may be made as evaluations continue. 

On Wednesday night, millions of people experienced historic flooding and winds from the remnants of Hurricane Ida, which had become a tropical depression after ravaging parts of Louisiana and Mississippi. New York residents experienced flooded homes, damaged vehicles, and an inability to access critical public infrastructure like public transportation and hospitals. Tragically, this storm took at least 9 lives in New York. The impact of the storm will add significant health and economic strain at a time when many are already struggling from the impacts of the pandemic. On Thursday, Governor Hochul officially requested that the emergency declaration issued for Hurricane Ida be extended to include their respective states as a result of the severe impact of the storm.

“As we continue to face the COVID-19 pandemic and the surge in cases of the Delta variant, it is critical that everyone who calls New York home has reliable electricity, telephone, and internet service,” the members wrote in the letter. “Combined with the challenges already facing municipal budgets in both states, and ongoing recovery from several major disasters in recent years and today’s co-existing pandemic, the extensive damages caused by Hurricane Ida pose a serious threat to New York’s economic recovery. Federal assistance is urgently needed.”

“On behalf of our constituents, we respectfully urge you to grant Governor Hochul’s request and immediately deploy federal resources to support the response to Hurricane Ida. We stand ready to work together to address this crisis and thank you in advance for your prompt consideration of this request.”

Members from the New York delegation who joined the letter are Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Reps. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Antonio Delgado (D-NY), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Mondaire Jones (D-NY), John Katko (R-NY), Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY), Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Grace Meng (D-NY), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Kathleen M. Rice (D-NY), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Thomas Suozzi (D-NY), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Paul D. Tonko (D-NY), Ritchie Torres (D-NY), Nydia Velásquez (D-NY), and Lee Zeldin (R-NY).

Click here to read the full text of the letter.