Washington, D.C. (February 4, 2021) – Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) today applauded the approval of disaster relief for counties in Eastern Washington, including Whitman County, that were impacted by devastating wildfires last year. Cathy released the following statement after the announcement:

“I visited Malden and Pine City days after the fire, and the devastation took my breath away. The biggest fear I heard when I visited was that after the speeches were over and the news cameras were gone, politicians would forget about Malden. I have worked tirelessly since that visit to make sure that didn’t happen and to push to get these communities the relief they so desperately need,” said McMorris Rodgers. “Individuals, families, and businesses in Malden and Pine City are still piecing their lives back together months later. This support is long overdue and I applaud the Biden administration for taking action to approve Governor Inslee’s Disaster Declaration Request. I will continue leading the effort to ensure federal resources reach these communities without delay.”

President Joe Biden’s approval of this request makes critical FEMA funding available to provide disaster relief to the communities in Eastern Washington suffering from these wildfires. As a result of this decision, public and individual assistance will now be available for Whitman County and its residents.

You can find the announcement from the Biden administration here: LINK

Background: Following last year’s fires in Eastern Washington, Cathy sent three letters to the Trump Administration urging approval of Governor Jay Inslee’s request for a statewide federal emergency disaster declaration. In December 2020, she spoke personally with President Trump about the request and asked for approval. Following this call, Cathy sent another letter to the Trump Administration seeking immediate approval of disaster relief for Whitman County. On January 22, 2021, Cathy wrote to President Biden to ensure Governor Inslee’s September 2020 request received attention and swift approval.

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