ERWIN, Tenn. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) led the Tennessee Congressional delegation in sending a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to swiftly approve Governor Bill Lee’s request for an updated major disaster declaration in the wake of flash flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Helene.

Governor Lee requested individual assistance and other necessary federal resources to respond to the devastation from Hurricane Helene. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Individuals and Households Program (IHP) provides financial assistance and direct services to eligible individuals and households affected by a disaster, who have uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs.

Read full the letter here or below.

Dear Mr. President:

We write to urge swift approval of Governor Bill Lee’s request for a major disaster declaration pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act due to severe weather beginning on September 26, 2024.

The remnants of Hurricane Helene have caused widespread damage across Tennessee, especially in East Tennessee. The unprecedented amount of rainfall in the region had devastating consequences, with some areas receiving up to 12 inches of rainfall. Multiple rivers in the state neared or exceeded historical flood stage records, and multiple dams overtopped or were under imminent threat of failure. Catastrophic flash flooding has devastated communities across East Tennessee, causing I-40 to collapse and leaving homes destroyed, businesses underwater, and widespread power outages. In fact, many areas are expected to be without power for weeks. As of September 30, approximately 20 water treatment facilities reported disruptions, impacting over 160,000 Tennesseans. 77 school districts experienced disruptions due to the extreme weather event. Sadly, the Tennessee Department of Health attributed the flooding to the deaths of six Tennesseans, and the search continues for over 100 individuals in impacted counties. We are grateful to the heroic actions of first responders on the local, state, and federal level for their work up to this point.

To respond to this disaster, Governor Lee is specifically requesting Individual Assistance for Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi, and Washington Counties. He is also requesting Public Assistance, including direct Federal assistance, for Carter, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi, and Washington Counties, and Hazard Mitigation statewide. The Governor further requests 100 percent federal funding for debris removal and emergency protective services—Categories A and B—under the Public Assistance program for the first 45 days of the incident, beginning on September 26, 2024. On behalf of the State of Tennessee, we urge you to approve this request as soon as possible.

Our offices can provide you with any additional information you need.

Senator Blackburn was joined by Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and U.S. Representatives Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.), Mark Green (R-Tenn.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.), David Kustoff (R-Tenn.), Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.), Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), and John Rose (R-Tenn.) in sending the letter.