Barbour asks for expedited federal assistance

MISSISSIPPI DELTA — Gov. Haley Barbour is requesting President Obama declare 14 counties in the Mississippi Delta as disaster areas as a result of ongoing and expected major flooding.

The counties requested include Adams, Bolivar, Claiborne, Coahoma, DeSoto, Jefferson, Humphreys, Issaquena, Sharkey, Tunica, Warren, Washington, Wilkinson and Yazoo counties. Other counties may be added as appropriate.

“These counties will be impacted by backwater flooding, and residents should take the necessary precautions now,” Barbour said. “This disaster declaration will help our local governments and state agencies prepare for the flooding and start helping those communities with recovery plans.”

State and federal officials are conducting coordinated preparation efforts under previously declared federal emergency. If granted, this request would provide additional federal aid to affected local governments, individuals and businesses.

The governor is requesting: public assistance for Categories A-G for the 14 counties; individual assistance including the Individuals and Households Program, Crisis Counseling, Disaster Unemployment Assistance, USDA food coupons and distribution, USDA food commodities, Disaster Legal Services, the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Small Business Administration disaster loans for the 14 counties; and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program statewide.

Source: Governor’s Office

3 Responses to “Barbour asks for expedited federal assistance”

1. Elma Carey Says:
   May 11th, 2011 at 8:54 am

   My heart goes out to the people of Mississippi, however, the federal government cannot help because we must make cuts in order to balance the budget.

2. Howard Says:
   May 13th, 2011 at 7:42 am

   Dear Haley,

   Surely you are not suggesting that the Federal Government add to the deficit
   in order assist Mississippi?
   Have you forgotten that the nation is broke, as in tapped out?
   We don’t have the money and the national credit card is maxxed out.

   If Mississippi had chosen a different geographic location this current disaster wouldn’t be an issue.
   Big government is not a solution, it is a problem.
   Mississippi will have to come up with it’s own solutions.
   The people can pick themselves up by the bootstraps and rebuild.
   It builds character and strengthens ones sense of personable responsibility.
   In accordance with Conservative Idiology it is my pleasure to tell you that Mississippi is on it’s own.
   Happy Friday the 13th.

   Sincerely,
   B. Hussein Obama
   5/13/2011

3. Haley Barbour Shrugs As Mississippi Floods | NewsSetup.com Says:
   May 16th, 2011 at 10:35 am

   [...] right. He told them they were on their own, to just do whatever they could. Well, that, and he did remember to apply for federal assistance. After all, the federal government is great when conservatives don’t want any responsibility [...]