AT HEARING, CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN DEMANDS FEMA ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE FOR FLOOD VICTIMS
At Hearing, Congressman Pat Ryan Demands FEMA Administrator Criswell Provide Individual Assistance for Flood Victims
Ryan also urged Criswell to come to Hudson Valley and meet families impacted by storm
WASHINGTON, DC – At a Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing, Congressman Pat Ryan demanded that FEMA Administrator Criswell provide individual assistance for flood victims after a devastating storm hit the Hudson Valley in July. Ryan also urged Criswell to come to the Hudson Valley and meet families impacted by the storm.
“Since the flood, my team and I have personally spoken with hundreds of impacted families, including a veteran with a 100% VA Disability Rating who suffered a TBI during his time serving our country, yet we have failed to provide him with the assistance he needs to rebuild his home. This is simply not a cost he can bear on his own, nor should he have to,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “He is just one of countless Hudson Valley residents who will remain homeless unless FEMA takes action and delivers relief for those affected by this devastating flood. I’m demanding that Administrator Criswell commit to providing individual assistance for every impacted family.”
The entirety of Ryan’s remarks at the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee hearing on Economic Development can be found here.
Since historic flooding devastated the Hudson Valley in July, Congressman Ryan and his office have worked around the clock to deliver relief for impacted families. Ryan formed a coalition of community partners and mobilized his Constituent Advocacy Resources Empowerment Services (C.A.R.E.S.) Van to hold a series of events to deliver flood recovery resources directly to constituents in communities impacted by the flood.
Ryan visited communities throughout Orange County to assess the damage, meet residents impacted by the storm, and partner with state, local, and federal leaders on a coordinated response. Ryan’s staff have also volunteered at the Red Cross shelter in Highland Falls and will continue to be on the ground for additional support.
On July 14th, Ryan joined Congressman Lawler in a bipartisan call for a Major Disaster Declaration, which was approved by President Biden on July 22nd.
On August 4th, Congressman Ryan announced the re-opening of the Popolopen Bridge, a key access point connecting Route 9W and the surrounding counties. Funds provided by the Major Disaster Declaration were critical for the bridge to re-open only four weeks after flooding damage closed it. The project was originally expected to take months to fix and had caused significant traffic disruption and slowed economic activity.
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