NE Florida News

U.S. Congressman Aaron Bean, representing Florida's 4th District, has joined forces with U.S. Congressman Vern Buchanan and U.S. Congresswoman Kathy Castor, alongside the entire Florida Delegation, to urge President Biden to approve Governor Ron DeSantis' request for a Major Disaster Declaration following Hurricane Milton's impact on the state.

Congressman Bean emphasized the importance of local execution in disaster response, stating, “The best response to a disaster is one that is locally executed, state managed, and federally supported." He expressed his commitment to ensuring federal support for infrastructure restoration in Northeast Florida.

In their letter to President Biden, the congressional members highlighted the storm's severity: “Given the severity of the storm, as evidenced by the at least 16 reported deaths and still untold damages wrought by Hurricane Milton on peoples’ homes, businesses and livelihoods," they wrote. They urged immediate consideration of a Major Disaster Declaration to provide essential federal resources for recovery efforts.

The letter also noted that Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key as a Category 3 hurricane on October 9th. This marks Florida's third hurricane in three months. The recent storms have caused significant damage across much of the state. In addition to fatalities from Hurricane Helene two weeks prior, dozens of tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Milton destroyed approximately 150 homes.

The delegation stressed that federal support is crucial for saving lives and aiding community recovery: "The full support of the federal government is critical in helping save lives and getting our communities and constituents back on their feet."

They concluded by thanking President Biden for considering Governor DeSantis' request and expressed hope for an expeditious response.