President Barack Obama is urging members of Congress to do something that we are unaccustomed to them doing. That something is moving quickly to provide assistance for Louisiana residents who are still reeling after the two different bouts of flooding the state experienced in 2016.

The Governor's office has requested almost $3.1 billion in disaster relief aid. Congress has been slow to respond to the requests. The Louisiana congressional delegation hopes this appeal by the White House will push the Legislative Branch of our government into action.

Garret Graves who represents our state out of the 6th Congressional District told the Louisiana Radio Network that their lobbying efforts have intensified.

To make them understand if this happens in their states, they’re going to want some type of appropriate recovery package like we’re pushing for and I think that those efforts have been successful.

Graves suggested in his comments that the response on the federal level has been far below acceptable. He says that FEMA has just not come through the way he believes they should.

FEMA has been unable to get anything close to the ample trailers and telling people now that they may be stuck in uninsulated homes until January, it’s just unacceptable.

The response from Governor Edwards office has been positive about the news of the White House getting involved. Congress has already approved $438 million in relief for our state but there is a lot of ground to make up between that figure and the needed $3.1 billion that has been requested.

Most political observers feel that the funding will be approved. It will likely take another two or three weeks to bring the issue through the proper channels so it can be made available for the state to distribute.

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