WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Rick Scott released the below statement ripping Senate Democrats and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for playing politics with Floridians and millions of other Americans struggling to recover from recent natural disasters.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), every state is currently drawing from the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF). With the DRF now below $2.5 billion, action is urgently needed to ensure the federal government can uphold its commitments for disaster response and recovery.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Families in 38 different states, territories or tribal lands – including Florida, California, Illinois, Vermont, Georgia and Hawaii – are all fighting to recover from devastating natural disasters, and for the first time in my memory, they have reason to be worried about whether the federal government is going to be a reliable partner in their recovery. Why? Because FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund is nearly exhausted and has fallen below $2.5 billion. That is UNACCEPTABLE. Until the Senate acts to fix this by voting on my Federal Disaster Responsibility Act, I urge my fellow Republicans to oppose any of Schumer’s plans to waive our rules. We all must stand united with Americans fighting to recover from disasters and take care of them first before any further consideration is given to Chuck Schumer’s so-called ‘minibus’ on the Senate floor.”

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