Letter to The Honorable Barack Obama, President of the United States - Federal Relief For Small Businesses Impacted By Severe Summer Storms

Letter

The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
Washington, D. C.

Dear Mr. President:

We write to support Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner's request for a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Declaration for Grundy and Iroquois Counties in Illinois, as a result of a string of severe storms that began on June 7, 2015, and continued through mid-July.

For more than six weeks, Illinois experienced severe weather events, including flooding and tornadoes, which occurred no more than 48-hours apart. Preliminary Damage Assessments have determined that in Grundy County, 36 residences and four businesses sustained major damage and had significant uninsured losses. In Iroquois County, 18 residences, ten businesses, and one non-profit organization sustained major damage and had significant uninsured losses. The economic impact on these communities as a result of businesses being destroyed is severe. The Governor seeks timely federal assistance from the SBA.

Governor Rauner has determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state and local governments. Supplementary federal assistance is necessary. We respectfully request that you issue an SBA Disaster Declaration for Grundy and Iroquois Counties and that the SBA disaster loans be offered to eligible individuals and businesses in the counties that are contiguous to Grundy and Iroquois Counties.

We thank you in advance for your timely consideration of this important request and stand ready to assist in any way appropriate.

Sincerely,