Senators Schmitt, Hawley Urge President Trump to Approve Missouri Emergency Declaration & Unlock Disaster Funding Immediately

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Eric Schmitt (R-MO) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) penned a letter to President Donald Trump earlier today, urging President Trump to swiftly approve Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe’s May 19th emergency disaster declaration in light of the devastating storms in St. Louis last weekend. 

“If approved, this declaration would immediately unlock critical funding to support state and local efforts to remove debris and take emergency protective measures,” the Senators wrote.

“After touring the devastated neighborhoods, we can personally attest to the scale of the damage and the clear need for the governor’s request to unlock this first step of federal assistance to support first responder efforts,” they explained.

This emergency designation would unlock resources for immediate needs such as debris removal while the damage is assessed for a more widespread disaster declaration.

Senator Schmitt was the first federal official on the ground to tour the storm damage, arriving within 12 hours of the storm first touching down. Schmitt spent much of last weekend on the ground in St. Louis, meeting with local officials and first responders, as well as updating the public on the latest news, while surveying the damage from Friday’s tornadoes. 

Click here to read the full letter. 

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