Louisiana delegation asks for additional relief funding after Ida

The Louisiana congressional delegation penned a letter to President Biden on Thursday alerting him of the need for additional disaster relief funding after Hurricane Ida, which barreled through the state on Sunday leaving more than one million people without power.

“We are writing you now to alert you to the need for Congress to provide emergency supplemental appropriations to address Hurricane Ida and the storms from last year, as was done following Hurricane Katrina,” the delegation wrote.

“Without substantial and robust emergency appropriations from Congress to critical unmet needs accounts like CDBG-DR program, Louisiana families will continue to languish as a result of these devastating storms,” they added.

Louisiana Sens. John Kennedy (R) and Bill Cassidy (R) and Louisiana Reps. Clay Higgins (R), Mike Johnson (R), Steve Scalise (R) and Garret Graves (R) all signed the letter.

Hurricane Ida made landfall as an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm on Sunday afternoon, according to the National Hurricane Center.

It made landfall near Port Fourchon, La., with sustained winds of 150 mph, sweeping through the state on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Biden approved Louisiana’s request for a disaster declaration on Monday, unlocking federal funding for state, tribal and eligible local governments. The lawmakers said they were “grateful” for his action.

The delegation recounted the devastating damage Ida caused throughout the state, and noted the dire effects it is having on communities.

“Hurricane Ida moved slowly through Louisiana causing catastrophic wind damage and flooding in numerous parishes and leaving nearly 1,000,000 people statewide without electricity, which experts say it will take weeks to restore,” the lawmakers wrote.

“At this time, many communities remain without access to drinking water, food, gasoline, and basic needs, while temperatures remain in excess of 100 degrees,” they added.

Biden is scheduled to travel to Louisiana on Friday to meet with state and local officials and survey the damage from the storm.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Wednesday said the trip is being coordinated with local leaders, and contended that the president’s visit will not take away from relief and restoration efforts.

“This is a trip that is being planned in close coordination with leaders on the ground to ensure it’s the right time together,” Psaki said. “We are not going to go to any part of the state or visit any community where we would take away from relief and restoration efforts.”

The Hill reached out to the White House for comment.