WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and U.S. Reps. Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) issued the following joint statement in response to the Biden administration’s approval of a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of New Hampshire and release of federal assistance to Cheshire and Sullivan Counties, which were impacted by severe storms and flooding in July. The disaster declaration does not include relief for the storms that followed on August 1st and 2nd, which the delegation requested the administration to approve. Shaheen led a congressional delegation letter to the administration to support the State’s request for a disaster declaration in September, and last week the delegation welcomed the administration’s announcement of relief assistance heading to Cheshire County.

“Severe storms and floods pummeled businesses, homes and communities across New Hampshire in July, causing millions of dollars of damage statewide. Our municipalities are still recovering and struggling to front these costs – especially as we still grapple with the financial fallout from the pandemic. We are grateful that the Biden administration responded to our calls to deliver federal funds to our hardest-hit communities in Cheshire and Sullivan Counties. This relief is a lifeline that will help our local governments restore damaged infrastructure and reimburse state agencies that provided costly assistance on the frontlines of the storms. We’ll continue urging the Biden administration to approve New Hampshire’s full request of funding through August, ensuring our municipalities have the resources they need to recover and become more resilient,” said the delegation.

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