Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez
PATERSON, N.J. – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) yesterday visited the American Red Cross shelter at International High School in Paterson where he met with residents who have been displaced from last week’s storm.
“I’m thankful that the President took swift action in approving a Major Disaster Declaration for Passaic, as well as other counties” said Sen. Menendez. “Now residents can begin to apply for Individual Assistance, which can provide rental assistance and help with home repairs”
Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) initial Major Disaster Declaration included Bergen, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Passaic and Somerset counties last Sunday.
“But make no mistake. We have a lot of work to be done. There remains counties that have not yet been declared and can use the federal assistance that becomes unlocked with a Major Disaster Declaration.” the senator added.
The Senator also joined the entire New Jersey delegation yesterday in a letter to Congressional Leaders to pass an emergency disaster supplemental bill to rebuild homes, businesses and infrastructure affected by Tropical Storm Ida.
“I look forward to go back to Washington next week to start pushing for this supplemental and get families and communities the help they need,” the senator added.
The Senator was joined yesterday by U.S. Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (N.J.-09), Passaic County Commissioner John Bartlett, Mayor Andre Sayegh and American Red Cross Regional CEO Rosie Taravella.
CLICK TO VIEW PHOTOS FROM TODAY’S VISIT
Last week, Sens. Menendez and Cory Booker lead the entire New Jersey delegation calling on the president to issue a Major Disaster Declaration for the state. The following day, they applauded the president for his swift action for federal assistance after he issued the Emergency Declaration for New Jersey.
Sen. Menendez has been the leading advocate in Congress for an overhaul of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), since Superstorm Sandy devastated New Jersey nearly nine years ago.
In June, Sens. Menendez and Kennedy introduced the National Flood Insurance Program Consultant Accountability Act, which would enhance the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) ability to protect homeowners from parties found guilty of fraud that involved in NFIP property damage assessment.
In 2019, the senators introduced the National Flood Insurance Program Reauthorization and Reform (NFIP Re) Act of 2019 to tackle systemic problems with flood insurance, lower the cap on annual premium increases to ensure policies are affordable for homeowners, put the NFIP back on solid fiscal ground, and reframe the nation’s entire disaster paradigm to one that focuses more on prevention and mitigation to spare the high cost of rebuilding after flood disasters.
Sen. Menendez first exposed the problem of widespread lowballing of flood insurance claims during Congressional hearings he chaired in 2014, and then successfully pushed FEMA to reopen every Sandy flood insurance claim for review, which compensated Sandy victims with more than $260 million in additional payments they were initially denied.
Sen. Menendez authored the Superstorm Sandy Relief and Disaster Loan Program Improvement Act, which extended and expanded access to federal disaster loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). His Homeowner’s Flood Insurance Affordability Act was signed into law in 2014 to address skyrocketing rates many Sandy survivors were encountering. In 2013, he shepherded the original $60 billion federal Sandy aid package through Congress.
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