{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.schatz.senate.gov/news/press-releases/hawaii-congressional-delegation-urges-approval-of-presidential-disaster-declaration-requests-following-hurricanes-lowell-and-lala", "Hawai\u2018i Congressional Delegation Urges Approval of Presidential Disaster Declaration Requests Following Hurricanes Lowell and Lala", "2026-09-13", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "HI", "Brian Schatz", "S001194", "www.schatz.senate.gov", "schatz", "https://www.schatz.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai\u2018i) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai\u2018i) and U.S. Representatives Ed Case (D-Hawai\u2018i) and Jill Tokuda (D-Hawai\u2018i) today urged for the approval of Governor Josh Green\u2019s requests for Presidential Major Disaster Declarations for communities across the state impacted by Hurricanes Lowell and Lala. President Donald Trump\u2019s approval of the requests would help ensure that affected communities can access critical federal funding and resources needed to support response, recovery, and rebuilding efforts.\n\nIn their letter to the president, the delegation wrote, \u201cWe request that you act quickly to grant Hawai\u2018i access to all available assistance from federal agencies to speed our recovery from a succession of extreme events in less than six months: the Kona Lows (March), the Kona earthquake (May), Hurricane Lala (August), Tropical Storm Moke (August), and Hurricane Lowell (September). The cumulative impact of these events exceeds the capacity of the State and our counties, warranting federal assistance.\u201d\n\n\u201cSwift approval of these requests would ensure urgently needed aid to Hawai?i residents who have been impacted by these disasters, including expanded eligibility for food assistance under the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) for individuals who experienced disaster-related losses or the interruption of their income due to Lala,\u201d the delegation continued.\n\nThe full text of the delegation\u2019s letter can be found below and is available here.\n\nDear President Trump:\n\nWe request that you act quickly to grant Hawai\u2018i access to all available assistance from federal agencies to speed our recovery from a succession of extreme events in less than six months: the Kona Lows (March), the Kona earthquake (May), Hurricane Lala (August), Tropical Storm Moke (August), and Hurricane Lowell (September). The cumulative impact of these events exceeds the capacity of the State and our counties, warranting federal assistance.\n\nSpecifically, we write in support of:\n\nGovernor Josh Green\u2019s September 9, 2026, expedited request for a Major Disaster Declaration for the Counties of Kaua\u2018i and Maui as a result of Hurricane Lowell; and\n\nThe Governor\u2019s September 9, 2026, request for a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Hawai\u2018i as a result of Hurricane Lala, followed by Tropical Storm Moke.\n\nSwift approval of these requests would ensure urgently needed aid to Hawai?i residents who have been impacted by these disasters, including expanded eligibility for food assistance under the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) for individuals who experienced disaster-related losses or the interruption of their income due to Lala.\n\nWe are grateful for your disaster declarations for the Kona Lows and the Kona Earthquake and respectfully ask your continued support for the recovery of the people of Hawai\u2018i.\n\nHurricane Lowell\n\nHurricane Lowell had extreme impacts on Kaua\u2018i and Maui Counties\u2019 basic infrastructure, which left communities isolated. At its peak, Lowell brought gusts of 87 miles per hour in Nawiliwili and 84 miles per hour in Lihu\u2018e. Rainfall reached 17 inches in Kauai\u2018i\u2019s higher elevations, and storm surge of 2 to 4 feet impacted the south and west coasts of the islands of Kaua\u2018i and Ni\u2018ihau. Lowell also brought storm surge and heavy rains throughout the state.\n\nThe Kaua\u2018i Island Utility Cooperative reported that approximately 90 percent\u2014more than 33,000 of its 36,000 member accounts\u2014experienced a power outage during the storm. Thousands of Kauai\u2018i\u2019s residents still lack electricity to refrigerate their food and medications. At its peak, Lowell forced the closure of all of Kaua\u2018i\u2019s commercial ports and Lihu\u2018e airport, which effectively shut down external access to the island. Compounding these impacts, numerous roads were impassable due to fallen trees, other debris, and flooding, which isolated communities and has made it difficult for the Kaua\u2018i Island Utility Cooperative to assess and repair damaged electrical transmission and distribution infrastructure.\n\nLana\u2018i\u2019s Kaumalapa\u2018u Harbor, the sole commercial cargo access to the island of Lana\u2018i, was also damaged during Lowell and is inoperable. Lana\u2018i\u2019s three thousand residents depend on Kaumalapa\u2018u Harbor for food, fuel, medical supplies, and all construction and repair materials.\n\nHurricane Lala\n\nFrom August 14 to 16, 2026, Hurricane Lala brought severe impacts across the State of Hawai\u2018i. Some areas of the State received between 20 to 40 inches of rain, which caused flooding, runoff, and landslides that had significant impacts to communities, transportation systems, utilities, and public infrastructure across the state.\n\nCommunities in Hawai\u2018i County\u2019s Ka\u2018u district sustained particularly heavy impacts. These communities are connected to the rest of the county by a single primary highway corridor, known as Highway 11, which suffered major damage from the flash flooding, mudslides, and heavy debris caused by Lala. As a result, community members were physically isolated while they lost access to electric and cellular service, fuel, groceries, and medical care. Severe slope failure at Na\u2018alehu Cemetery caused the disinterment of human remains, creating an urgent public health, cultural, and operational challenge.\n\nThe Federal Emergency Management Agency\u2019s (FEMA) validated Joint Preliminary Damage Assessment confirms over $67 million in damages statewide that would be eligible under Categories A \u2013 G of FEMA\u2019s Public Assistance (PA) program. Assessments of damage to residences eligible under FEMA\u2019s Individual Assistance (IA) program confirm 267 damaged residences statewide across three counties, with Hawai\u2018i County accounting for 217 of the damaged residences.\n\nFederal Assistance\n\nTo effectively respond and recover from these two hurricanes, we support the Governor\u2019s requests for federal assistance. Specifically, we urge you to approve for Hurricane Lowell:\n\nA Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Hawai\u2018i;\n\nAll applicable categories of FEMA\u2019s PA program for Kaua\u2018i and Maui Counties;\n\nAll applicable categories of FEMA\u2019s IA program for Kaua\u2018i and Maui Counties, including the Other Needs Assistance program;\n\nFEMA\u2019s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (statewide); and\n\nthe Small Business Administration\u2019s (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan program for Kaua\u2018i and Maui Counties.\n\nWe also urge you to approve the following regarding Hurricane Lala:\n\nA Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Hawai\u2018i;\n\nAll applicable categories of FEMA\u2019s PA program for Hawai\u2018i, Honolulu, and Maui Counties;\n\nAll applicable categories of FEMA\u2019s IA program for Hawai\u2018i, Honolulu, and Maui Counties, including the Other Needs Assistance program;\n\nFEMA\u2019s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (statewide); and\n\nDirect federal assistance as required.\n\nWe are grateful for your consideration of these requests and look forward to working with you in the months and years ahead to help Hawai\u2018i recover and rebuild.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-15T09:50:21Z", "2026-09-15T09:52:05Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.schatz.senate.gov/news/press-releases/hawaii-congressional-delegation-urges-approval-of-presidential-disaster-declaration-requests-following-hurricanes-lowell-and-lala"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.6203528977930546, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}