Letter to Barack Obama, President of The United States - Tennessee Flood Clean Up

Letter

Tennessee's entire congressional delegation has asked President Obama to formally request funding in the upcoming Supplemental Appropriations bill, which will be marked up by the Senate Appropriation Committee on Thursday, to "help our state recover from the unprecedented flooding that affected Tennesseans in 52 counties from Memphis to Nashville."

"According to NOAA and the Corps of Engineers, the flooding in Tennessee was the result of a 1,000-year rainfall event," the delegation wrote in their May 11th letter to President Obama. "We thank you for already designating 42 of the 52 counties requested by our governor as eligible for disaster relief. We also appreciate the efforts of FEMA Director Fugate and his staff as well as that of Secretaries Napolitano, Locke, and Donovan and Small Business Administrator Mills all of whom have visited Tennessee during the last week.

"Tennesseans are helping themselves and their neighbors, but Tennessee will require federal assistance beyond what current emergency programs' funding can support. Because the Senate Appropriations Committee will mark up supplemental appropriations legislation that you have requested on Thursday, it is vital that a request for Tennessee flood relief come from the Office of Management and Budget as quickly as possible."

The letter was signed by all members of the Tennessee congressional delegation: U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), and U.S. Representatives Phil Roe (R-Tenn. 1), John Duncan (R-Tenn. 2), Zach Wamp (R-Tenn. 3), Lincoln Davis (D-Tenn. 4), Jim Cooper (D-Tenn. 5), Bart Gordon (D-Tenn. 6), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn. 7), John Tanner (D-Tenn. 8), and Steve Cohen (D-Tenn. 9).

May 10, 2010

The Honorable Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President,

We are writing to urge that you request funds to help our state recover from the
unprecedented flooding that affected Tennesseans in 52 counties from Memphis to
Nashville. These funds would be included in your request for the Supplemental
Appropriations Act of 2010.

According to NOAA and the Corps of Engineers, the flooding in Tennessee was the
result of a 1,000-year rainfall event. We thank you for already designating 42 of the 52
counties requested by our governor as eligible for disaster relief. We also appreciate the
efforts of FEMA Director Fugate and his staff as well as that of Secretaries Napolitano,
Locke, and Donovan and Small Business Administrator Mills all of whom have visited
Tennessee during the last week.

Tennesseans are helping themselves and their neighbors, but Tennessee will require
federal assistance beyond what current emergency programs' funding can support.
Because the Senate Appropriations Committee will mark up supplemental appropriations
legislation that you have requested on Thursday, it is vital that a request for Tennessee
flood relief come from the Office of Management and Budget as quickly as possible.

Thank you for your consideration of this request for relief for Tennesseans suffering from
the flood. Please contact our offices if you have any additional questions.