“I have seen the significant damage done to Maverick County, including Eagle Pass. Over 560 homes in Maverick County have been damaged, including 140 which were completely destroyed.
I appreciate your previous state-level declaration of Maverick County as a disaster. I also applaud your action in supporting SBA assistance not long afterward. This was a step in the right direction. However, much still remains to be done to help the people of this area. Your request for FEMA assistance would go a long ways toward providing folks in Maverick County the appropriate resources they need to move forward with their lives, and I look forward to working with you to serve our constituents.”
Congressman Gallego recently joined the Governor and every member of the Texas delegation in writing a letter to President Obama which requested an appeal of FEMA’s decision to decline assistance to the city of West, Texas. Given the Governor’s previous support of FEMA assistance to West, TX, Congressman Gallego is asking the same support to the citizens of Maverick County.
The full text of the letter is below.
July 25, 2013
The Honorable Rick Perry
Governor of Texas
Post Office Box 12428
Austin, TX 78711
Governor Perry:
I write to ask that you and your office request aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for Maverick County. The area, as you know, recently incurred massive flooding on June 14th and 15th and is still in the recovery process. As you are aware, FEMA must receive a request from your office in order to take the next steps to provide the appropriate assistance to the folks of Maverick County.
Recently, I had the opportunity to work with your office in support of a letter to President Obama which requested an appeal of FEMA’s decision to decline assistance to the city of West, Texas. Given your previous support of FEMA assistance to West, TX – which the State of Texas also declared a disaster – I ask that you offer the same support to the citizens of Maverick County.
I myself have seen the significant damage done to Maverick County, including Eagle Pass. Over 560 homes in Maverick County have been damaged, including 140 which were completely destroyed. Approximately 80 of the damaged homes are in Eagle Pass alone. By the end of the flooding, over 400 people were rescued.
I appreciate your previous state-level declaration of Maverick County as a disaster. I also applaud your action in supporting SBA assistance not long afterward. This was a step in the right direction. However, much still remains to be done to help the people of this area. Your request for FEMA assistance would go a long ways toward providing folks in Maverick County the appropriate resources they need to move forward with their lives, and I look forward to working with you to serve our constituents.
I ask you to please join me in relieving this area of the tremendous burden that has fallen upon them. As governor, your commitment to seek out the appropriate response to disasters in Texas is greatly appreciated, and I hope that your office will contact FEMA as soon as possible to assist the citizens of Maverick County.
Sincerely,
Pete P. Gallego
Member of Congress
23rd Congressional District of Texas