For years, Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis has been trying to get legislation passed to give local governments in rural Illinois a better shot at disaster aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA. Now, the Taylorville Republican says he may finally have his chance.
Davis’ Disaster Declaration Improvement Act passed the House of Representatives last month, as part of a larger bill for supplemental disaster aid that is now before the U.S. Senate. Illinois Public Media's Jim Meadows spoke with Congressman Davis, who says his bill addresses a problem facing governments in downstate Illinois when a natural disaster strikes.
Republican 13th District Congressman Rodney Davis spoke with Illinois Public Media's Jim Meadows about a bill he sponsored along with 17th District Democratic Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, to change how FEMA awards disaster aid for local governments. He says the current process is unfair to rural Illinois. The measure is part of a supplemental funding bill for disaster aid which has passed the House and is now before the U.S. Senate.