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Sens. Cornyn, Hutchison Urge HUD Secretary To Distribute Remaining Ike & Dolly Funding Expeditiously

Ask HUD Secretary Preston to quickly allocate and distribute remaining CDBG funding, a fundamental part of the recovery effort

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison announced today they have sent a letter to Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Steve Preston urging him to quickly allocate the remaining Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to further help Texans recover from this year’s storms. This letter comes on the heels of learning that HUD is considering allowing the next administration to allocate the remaining CDBG funds.

--The text of Sens. Cornyn and Hutchison’s letter is below--

The Honorable Steve Preston
Secretary
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
451 7th Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20410

Dear Secretary Preston,

We are writing to express our concerns regarding an issue affecting our constituents struggling to recover from the impacts of Hurricane Ike and Dolly. We ask for your swift intervention into this matter which greatly affects Texas’ ability to recover from the 2008 hurricane season.

With recovery and rebuilding efforts underway throughout the Texas Gulf Coast, it is paramount that the state continues to receive the vital resources and funding required to ensure a full recovery. While the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s six month extension of 100% reimbursement for individual and public assistance was a step in the right direction, the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, authorized in the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act of 2009, remains a fundamental piece of the recovery effort.

As you know, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released the first allocation of CDBG funding on November 26th, with Texas receiving approximately $1.3 billion. We have been informed that HUD is considering allowing the next administration to allocate the remaining CDBG funds.

We strongly urge and recommend that you quickly allocate and distribute the remaining CDBG appropriations. Current officials at the department have a clear understanding of the funding needs that remain in the wake of this year’s hurricane season. It is vital that this continuity remain intact and not be lost to the administration transition. It is equally important that your action recognizes the necessary funding our State of Texas requires for the rebuilding and recovery effort. Our State’s need for swift assistance cannot be overstated.

We appreciate your efforts to address our concerns in this letter, and we will continue to work with you and the administration as recovery efforts continue.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator

KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON
United States Senator

Sen. Cornyn serves on the Armed Services, Judiciary and Budget Committees. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration, Border Security and Refugees subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge.

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