BREAKING: LA Receives Lion's Share of $500 million in Flood Relief Funds

METAIRIE, LA – House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) today issued the following statement regarding the announcement that Louisiana will receive the lion’s share of the $500 million in flood relief funds included in the government funding bill last month.

“These much-needed CDBG funds are critical to the hardworking people of South Louisiana who are struggling to put their lives back together after the devastating flooding that inundated our state this summer. This down payment is an important first step in the recovery process. I urge the governor to establish an effective program that gets this funding into the hands of the families that so desperately need it, while ensuring that it will be used for its intended purpose—the rebuilding and recovery of South Louisiana."

Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that it is awarding the State of Louisiana $437,800,000 of the $500 million allocated to Louisiana, West Virginia and Texas for flood recovery. Last month, Congress approved $500 million of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for flood recovery and rebuilding efforts in the government funding bill.

The CDBG program plays an important role in the recovery following a declared disaster. CDBG is managed by HUD and ensures that funds dispersed address the immediate and urgent threats to the health and safety of residents in impacted areas. With CDBG funds, the state is allowed to direct funds towards short-term and long-term disaster relief. CDBG funds can be used for—but are not limited to—debris removal, mitigation activities that prevent future loss, rebuilding homes and businesses, and restoring and revitalizing impacted communities.