Missouri government unites to help historic flooding response efforts

WASHINGTON – Today, the entire Missouri congressional delegation, including U.S. Senators Roy Blunt and Josh Hawley, and U.S. Representatives Cori Bush, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Ann Wagner, Vicky Hartzler, Emanuel Cleaver, II, Sam Graves, Billy Long, and Jason Smith, sent a letter calling on President Biden to support Governor Mike Parson’s request for a disaster declaration in the city of St. Louis as well as St. Louis, St. Charles, and Montgomery counties due to severe weather.

Following record-shattering rainfall levels and subsequent flash flooding, Acting Governor Mike Kehoe declared a state of emergency on July 26, 2022. The disaster declaration is a necessary step in order for the state to access critically important federal resources.

“Dangerous flash flooding has resulted in hundreds of evacuations from homes and vehicles, reports of submerged vehicles and, tragically, two deaths. According to the state, this flooding emergency has resulted in more water rescues throughout the course of one day than at any other point in St. Louis’s history.

Moreover, joint assessments conducted by the State Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and local officials have determined more than $35 million in damage to uninsured infrastructure and emergency response costs in the City of St. Louis and St. Louis, St. Charles, and Montgomery counties, and showed 131 of 206 businesses examined had sustained major damage,” the delegation wrote. “We respectfully request your prompt action to ensure that these communities receive the immediate federal support needed to respond to the disaster.”