Opinion: Federal government should help more in disaster recovery

Amid devastating tornadoes and unprecedented flooding, Missourians have worked tirelessly to rebuild and recover in a way that our state knows best – with communities rallying together and neighbors serving as first responders for one another during times of need.

The generous outpouring of time and resources from people across the state and nationwide helped many families and business owners get back on their feet in the short-term aftermath of these disasters. But there is still much work to be done if we’re going to help these communities get back to where they were – work that requires federal assistance and long-term planning.

I believe that when the disaster exceeds the abilities of communities and states, the federal government has a responsibility to help these communities rebuild. This is why I supported and authored legislation adding $400 million to the Community Development Block Grant program for dedicated disaster funding for the most impacted  and  distressed communities.

This funding will help communities address their unmet disaster needs, such as repairing homes for low- and moderate-income households, paying for debris removal, and assisting with communities’ sewer and energy infrastructure repairs. This funding can also help keep energy and water costs low for the people of Joplin and provide support and incentives for job creators who have lost revenues but still agree to keep their businesses in the region.

As we look to long-term efforts, the annual Army Corps of Engineers budget is where talk becomes action. Right now, we have citizens in our rural counties who have called the Corps and are told: “No, we do not have sufficient funds to restore eligible flood protection but yes, we do have enough money to buy your land if you are interested.”

That’s simply unacceptable. It cannot be said that flood control is a top priority when each annual budget reflects otherwise, and it’s ridiculous that the Corps’ current budget puts more emphasis on land acquisition than on flood protection for communities, businesses and personal property.

That’s why I introduced a second amendment this month that would restrict funding for the Missouri River Fish and Wildlife Recovery Program to $22 million. The rest of the funds originally dedicated to the program in the underlying bill would be left in the Corps General Construction fund to be spent on construction and major rehabilitation benefits. More than $616 million has already been expended on this program since 1992.

At a time when we are trying to rebuild after unprecedented flooding events, it makes sense to prioritize our limited resources to make sure taxpayer dollars are spent first and foremost on protecting people and property.

—Roy Blunt, U.S. Senate[[In-content Ad]]