47°
Lowey, the Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Committee, sent a letter to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan in reaction to the administration’s proposal to award remaining Community Development Block Grant Disaster Relief Funds via competition, including with other regions of the country beyond those affected by Sandy, according to a press release. The funds were part of a $60 billion disaster assistance package passed in the wake of Hurricane Sandy to help communities, businesses and families rebuild and recover, according tot he release.
Lowey called on Donovan to preserve the remaining funds for Sandy-related expenses "given continued need for recovery and resiliency in the New York region," according to the release.
Here is the full text of Lowey's letter:
"Dear Secretary Donovan:
I write you with great concern regarding the administration's proposal to award the remaining Community Development Block Grant Disaster Relief funds for Hurricane Sandy via competition. As you know, the areas impacted by Hurricane Sandy have unmet needs that exceed the funds available. In fact, I am concerned that the funds available are insufficient to meet the needs of the rebuilding effort and that more funds may be needed in the future. I ask you to award all remaining funds to the areas affected by the storm so that they can develop and implement projects that will mitigate the impact of future disasters.
In addition, New York was affected by major disasters in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Some of the damage was compounded by successive incidents; infrastructure weakened by Hurricane Irene was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy. Investing in prevention and mitigation is the right thing to do. It will save money and save lives in the future.
Thank you for all of the work you have done to respond to the immense challenges that Hurricane Sandy has brought to New York and the region. As always, I look forward to working with you on this matter.
Sincerely,
Nita Lowey Ranking Member, Committee on Appropriations"
Click here to follow Daily Voice Harrison and receive free news updates.
