HR0922 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0922 LRB098 20566 GRL 56799 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Communities across the State of Illinois were devastated and 8 people were killed in tornadoes which struck the State on November 17, 2013; and

WHEREAS, Hundreds of homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed by the storm; and

WHEREAS, Local governments incurred millions in storm-related costs, including damage to public facilities, overtime, equipment rental, emergency sheltering and protective measures, and additional costs relating to cleanup and recovery; and

WHEREAS, On November 26, 2013, the President declared that the storms were "of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant a major disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act"; and

WHEREAS, The federal government subsequently disbursed more than $23.5 million in aid to assist individuals and businesses hit hardest by the storms; and

WHEREAS, On March 4, 2014, the federal government declared that the costs incurred by first responders and other State and local government agencies were not sufficient to warrant federal help under the Public Assistance section of the Stafford Act; and

WHEREAS, The formula for determining eligibility under the Stafford Act is based on the population of a state, thereby setting Illinois' threshold much higher than the threshold of most other states in the nation; and

WHEREAS, This exceptionally high threshold has caused Illinois to be denied federal assistance for disasters striking in primarily rural areas frequently during the last decade; and

WHEREAS, Members of the Illinois congressional delegation have introduced legislation to correct this unfair federal disaster assistance threshold formula; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the members of the United States House of Representatives to correct this outdated and unfair system by passing H.R. 3925, the Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge the members of the United States Senate to pass S. 1960, the Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the members of the Illinois congressional delegation.