Norcross, NJ Congressional Delegation Call on President to Issue Major Disaster Declaration for NJ due to COVID-19
InsiderNJ.com
March 24, 2020
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) joined the New Jersey Congressional Delegation in writing a letter to President Trump, supporting Governor Phil Murphy’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration to make New Jersey eligible for additional federal resources to combat the coronavirus outbreak.
“The federal government needs to provide support for our state and municipalities who have been frontline responders during this difficult time,” wrote members of the delegation.
The bipartisan letter was signed by Sens. Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02), Andy Kim (NJ-03), Chris Smith (NJ-04), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Tom Malinowksi (NJ-07), Albio Sires (NJ-08), Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-09), Donald Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).
“We ask that you approve Governor Murphy’s request, which would make our residents eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance (IA),” the lawmakers wrote in the letter. “Federal funds will allow New Jersey to provide Disaster Unemployment Insurance, Childcare Assistance and Disaster Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance. These programs, along with others that Governor Murphy officially requested, will help equip New Jersey with the necessary resources to respond to the immediate health pandemic and its corresponding economic impacts.
Norcross and the entire bipartisan New Jersey Congressional Delegation also sent a letter on Monday to Congressional leadership, asking them to prioritize robust funding and flexibility for the Community Disaster Loan (CDL) program, which provides operational funding for local governments to continue to operate after a substantial revenue loss caused by a major disaster. Additionally, the NJ Delegation sent a letter to FEMA officials on Sunday requesting the Administration set up four, 250-bed federal medical stations (FMS) in order to increase capacity in the state’s already taxed health system with COVID-19 cases on the rise. These rapidly deployable units contain beds, supplies and medicines, which can quickly turn a pre-identified building into a temporary medical shelter.