Aug 01, 2024

Nebraska Delegation Echoes Governor’s Request for Major Disaster Declaration for Areas Affected by Late Spring Storms

Posted Aug 01, 2024 9:00 PM

Office of U.S. Senator Deb Fischer

  WASHINGTON ­– U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and U.S. Representatives Mike Flood (NE-01), Don Bacon (NE-02), and Adrian Smith (NE-03) sent a letter to President Joe Biden in support of Governor Jim Pillen’s (R-Neb.) request for a major disaster declaration for areas impacted by severe storms from May 20 to June 3, 2024.During that time period, severe tornadoes, thunderstorms, high winds, and flooding caused extensive damage across the state. Overall, the storms inflicted over $11.5 million in damage to public infrastructure in impacted counties.

Specifically, Governor Pillen’s request follows storms that affected Burt, Butler, Colfax, Dodge, Douglas, Dundy, Fillmore, Hamilton, Hayes, Hitchcock, Howard, Keith, Platte, Polk, Red Willow, Saunders and Washington counties.

A copy of the delegation’s letter to President Biden is below and a signed copy is available here.

President Joe Biden

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We write in support of Governor Jim Pillen’s request for a major disaster declaration, which followed the storms occurring between May 20 – June 3, 2024, for the Nebraska counties of Burt, Butler, Colfax, Dodge, Douglas, Dundy, Fillmore, Hamilton, Hayes, Hitchcock, Howard, Keith, Platte, Polk, Red Willow, Saunders and Washington.

Severe storms caused extensive damage across the state due to the combination of tornadoes, thunderstorms, high winds, and flooding. Overall, the storms inflicted over $11.5 million in damages to public infrastructure in impacted counties.

Once again, the people of Nebraska must face the difficult process of recovering from damaging thunderstorms and tornadoes. As they have time and time again, Nebraskans will demonstrate their resilience in the face of disaster. We encourage the federal government to join with the state in these restoration efforts.

We stand ready and willing to assist in any way possible to ensure prompt evaluation of this request. Please do not hesitate to contact our offices with any questions.