Cruz, Cornyn: Gratified Senate Is Taking Up $89.3 Billion in Disaster Relief, Including for Hurricane Harvey Recovery

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) today released the following statements after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced the Senate will soon consider revised disaster relief legislation that includes $8 billion in more funding available for Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts than the version that passed the U.S. House of Representatives in December:

“Texas is working together to recover and rebuild stronger than ever,” Sen. Cruz said. “I am committed to working tirelessly to ensure that those Texans still reeling from Harvey’s devastating winds and floods receive the aid they are entitled to under federal law. We have already secured more than $50 billion in emergency funding for storm victims in 2017, coupled with the Cruz-Cornyn-Rubio legislation providing more than $5.5 billion in targeted tax relief. This latest disaster relief bill is the next step in our State’s road to recovery, and I am gratified that John Cornyn and I have been able to build upon and improve the bill that was sent to us by the House of Representatives to give the state of Texas the resources it desperately needs, including by providing more funding to advance critical Army Corps flood management projects that will help the state mitigate against future flooding events, such as potentially completing a third reservoir in the Houston area.” 

“While Texans have begun the rebuilding process in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, our state is still in need of resources as we recover from the most extreme rain event in our nation’s history,” said Sen. Cornyn. “I applaud the Texas congressional delegation for taking the first step, and I appreciate Governor Abbott and the Senate Appropriations Committee for working with us to strengthen this bill.  Helping Texans recover and rebuild has been my top priority, and I’m urging my colleagues in both the House and the Senate to pass this critical relief bill as soon as possible.” 

The Senate version of the disaster relief bill makes key improvements over the legislation that passed the U.S. House of Representatives in December. These improvements include:

• An increase of $8 billion, from $81 billion to $89 billion, in overall funding available for disaster relief, including for Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts.
• Increased access for Texas to the pool of Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding.
• Additional funding and flexibility to ensure U.S. Army Corps are able to carry out necessary flood mitigation projects in the state, including potentially a third reservoir in the Houston area.
• Funding to help Texas address lingering transportation issues resulting from Hurricane Harvey.
• A seed cotton provision, critical for Texas cotton farmers recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. 

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