All six members of Mississippi’s congressional delegation are urging President Donald Trump to approve a recent request by Gov. Tate Reeves for federal aid in the aftermath of a tornado outbreak earlier this month.
In a letter to the president, U.S. Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Wicker, along with U.S. Reps. Trent Kelly, Bennie Thompson, Michael Guest, and Mike Ezell jointly put politics to the side to address a greater concern — the well-being of Mississippians.
The federal lawmakers voiced their full support for Reeves’ request for a major disaster declaration for Franklin, Lamar, Lawrence, Lincoln, and Wilkinson counties. The request comes after Mississippi was struck by seven tornadoes on May 6-7, injuring 26 people and damaging or destroying more than 425 homes and businesses, with the five referenced counties bearing the brunt of the impact.
If approved, the major disaster declaration would unlock additional federal resources to supplement state recovery efforts and assist local communities in rebuilding campaigns.
“Several of the tornadoes caused catastrophic damage, including an EF3 tornado that, at times, exceeded a mile in width and remained on the ground for nearly 70 miles,” the congressional delegation wrote. “The storms destroyed and severely damaged many homes and businesses, uprooted trees, crippled critical infrastructure, and caused widespread power outages affecting thousands of Mississippians. Communities across the impacted region continue to face significant recovery challenges in the aftermath of these storms.”
In the meantime, joint damage assessments have been conducted by both federal and local emergency management crews. Reeves added that damage assessments indicate that eligibility requirements have been met for public assistance in the five included counties. As the assessments continue, additional counties could be added to the tally qualifying for relief.
Before any relief comes, the governor’s request must be approved, with the letter from the state’s congressional members potentially expediting the process. While waiting to hear back from the federal level, Reeves said that the state will remain in close communication with emergency managers, volunteers, faith-based organizations, and private-sector partners to recover from the storms.
