Ohio authorities ask President Trump for federal 'major disaster' designation
Source: Cleveland.com
Today 11:39 AM
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and the state’s congressional delegation want President Donald Trump to declare Ohio a “major disaster” area so the state can qualify for emergency federal funding to fight the spread of the coronavirus and cope with its after-effects.
“The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a disaster of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capability of the state of Ohio, affected local governments and voluntary organizations,” said a March 28 letter that DeWine sent Trump. “Therefore, I am requesting all 88 counties in Ohio be included in a major disaster declaration for the Disaster Unemployment Assistance and Crisis Counseling Programs and programs through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.”
In recent days, Trump has signed off on disaster declarations for states including Alabama, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas and Washington, as well as Puerto Rico, Guam and the District of Columbia.
“COVID-19 has created significant and unprecedented challenges for state and local governments, businesses, individuals, and families in Ohio. The state and local governments do not have the capacity to sufficiently respond to this major disaster, and therefore, additional federal assistance is necessary to supplement response and recovery efforts,” said a letter the state’s congressional delegation wrote to Trump. “We fully support Governor DeWine’s request, and urge your prompt consideration.”
Read more: https://www.cleveland.com/open/2020/03/ohio-authorities-ask-president-trump-for-federal-major-disaster-designation.html