Panetta, California Congressional Delegation Urge President Biden to Grant Major Disaster Declaration for California Following Recent Severe Weather
Monterey, CA - U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta joined Reps. Jim Costa (CA-21), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Ken Calvert (CA-41), and David Valadao (CA-22), along with U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) leading a bipartisan, bicameral letter to President Joe Biden urging him to issue a major disaster declaration for the State of California in response to recent winter storms beginning February 21, 2023.
"The recent weather events caused widespread flooding, erosion, power outages, and road closures across the state that have threatened the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Californians," wrote the Members.
This is the second time the full California delegation has joined together in support of federal disaster assistance this year; on January 13, 2023, the Members urged President Biden to provided federal support for the state amidst the December and January storms.
"State and local resources that were already strained due to response and recovery efforts have now been pushed to the limit responding to the current crisis," the Members added.
California has experienced multiple recent severe weather events, including as many as 12 strong atmospheric rivers, which have caused significant and widespread flooding, erosion, power outages, property losses, road closures, collapsed bridges, and multiple levee breaches. More than 30 million people have been under flood watches in March 2023.
Both U.S. Senators representing the state – Sens. Alex Padilla and Diane Feinstein – signed the letter, as did all 52 Members representing the state in the House of Representatives: Reps. Pete Aguilar (CA-33), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Ami Bera (CA-06), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Ken Calvert (CA-41), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Tony Cárdenas (CA-29), Judy Chu (CA- 28), J. Luis Correa (CA-46), Jim Costa (CA-21), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), John Duarte (CA-13), Anna Eshoo (CA-16), John Garamendi (CA-08), Mike Garcia (CA-27), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Josh Harder (CA-09), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Darrell Issa (CA-48), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Kevin Kiley (CA-03), Young Kim (CA-40), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Barbara Lee (CA-12), Mike Levin (CA-49), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Kevin McCarthy (CA-20), Tom McClintock (CA-05), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Grace Napolitano (CA-31), Jay Obernolte (CA-23), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Scott Peters (CA-50), Katie Porter (CA-47), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Adam Schiff (CA-30), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Michelle Steel (CA-45), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Mark Takano (CA-39), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Norma Torres (CA-35), David Valadao (CA-22), Juan Vargas (CA-52), and Maxine Waters (CA-43).
The Governor's major disaster declaration request can be downloaded HERE.
The full letter can be downloaded HERE and is below:
Dear President Biden:
We write in support of the State of California's request for a major disaster declaration for the recent severe winter storms and atmospheric river systems and ask that you approve it expeditiously. The State has experienced a nearly uninterrupted series of storms since February 21, 2023, and the effects are ongoing. The intensity and damages of the storms have overwhelmed state resources and require federal assistance, coordination, and action to supplement state and local efforts.
The recent weather events caused widespread flooding, erosion, power outages, and road closures across the state that have threatened the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Californians. The storms damaged and continue to threaten federal and state highways and roads, critical infrastructure, homes, and buildings.
Complicating the emergency response effort further, these recent storms brought heavy precipitation and high winds to counties still responding to the effects of the December 2022 storms (FEMA Disaster DR-4683-CA). State and local resources that were already strained due to response and recovery efforts have now been pushed to the limit responding to the current crisis.
The severity of these storms requires additional coordination and a wider range of long-term federal recovery programs. Therefore, we urge you to expeditiously approve California's request for a major disaster declaration and provide all categories of public assistance, individual assistance, and direct federal assistance for all counties set forth in the Governor's request, along with hazard mitigation statewide.
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