Kirk, Washington Mayor Manier Tour Home Rebuilding and Discuss Bill to Bring Fairness to FEMA Disaster Funding

Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act Would Reform FEMA Formulas for Determining Aid; Toured Home in Washington That Had Been Destroyed by November 2013 Tornadoes

WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 8, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Washington Mayor Gary Manier today joined the Marfell family, whose house was destroyed by the November 2013 tornadoes, to view the progress they have made in rebuilding their home. Following the visit and tour, Senator Kirk and Mayor Manier, along with the Marfell family and local first responders, held a town hall meeting to discuss S. 870, The Fairness in Federal Declarations Act, legislation recently introduced that would level the playing field for communities like Washington when determining the need for aid following a natural disaster.

“We have to fix FEMA,” Senator Kirk said. “My bill will make sure disasters are dealt with as they should be by the Federal Government.”

FEMA’s current methodology for determining disaster aid is unfair to small towns in large-population states. Because of Illinois’ population of more than 12 million people, communities in our state must incur a higher level of damage than similar communities in smaller states to be eligible for certain disaster assistance.

Recently introduced by Senator Kirk and Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), The Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act would require FEMA to take into consideration local economic factors – such as the local assessable tax base, the median income as it compares to that of the state, and the poverty rate as it compares to that of the state – in order to ensure that communities affected by disaster are not denied public assistance based on a “per capita” indicator. A bipartisan House companion was also introduced by Representatives Rodney Davis (R-Ill.-13), Mike Bost (R-Ill.-12), John Shimkus (R-Ill.-15) and Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.-17).

In November 2013, tornadoes touched down in Washington, Ill., and devastated the community, destroying more than a thousand homes and resulting in more than $25 million of damage. FEMA denied a request for federal aid for local governments in Champaign, Douglas, Grundy, Massac, Tazewell, Vermillion, Washington, Wayne and Woodford counties. Under the Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act, FEMA would have been forced to consider the devastating impact the November tornadoes had on the local tax base and income of Washington, Ill., in its evaluation of whether to award public assistance.

• April 19, 2012: Senators Kirk and Durbin introduced the Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act of 2012.

• January 14, 2014: Senators Kirk and Durbin sent a letter to FEMA urging changes to the funding formula as outlined in the 2012 legislation.

• January 22, 2014: Senator Kirk announced Washington Mayor Gary Manier as State of the Union guest.

• January 27, 2014: Senators Kirk and Durbin reintroduced the Fairness in Federal Declarations Act of 2014 in the 113th Congress.

• March 4, 2014: Senators Kirk and Durbin released a statement on FEMA’s denial of Public Assistance to nine Illinois counties after the November 2013 tornadoes.

• April 22, 2014: Senator Kirk visited Harrisburg, Ill., and discussed the legislation to reform FEMA’s funding formulas.