{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/alaska-delegation-united-in-urging-president-biden-to-waive-states-cost-share-for-western-alaska-disaster", "Alaska Delegation United in Urging President Biden to Waive State\u2019s Cost Share for Western Alaska Disaster", "2022-09-27", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014Following last week\u2019s federal major disaster declaration to support Western Alaska\u2019s recovery from the impact of Typhoon Merbok, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska), and Governor Mike Dunleavy (R-Alaska) are urging President Biden to waive 100 percent of the state\u2019s cost share for federal individual and public assistance for recovery efforts for 30 days, citing the fact that the cost is too great to cover with currently available resources. This would mirror the FEMA arrangement for the ongoing disaster in Puerto Rico.\n\n\u201cFollowing last week\u2019s historic storm, I knew I needed to be boots on the ground with Alaskans to survey the damage and to learn more about what I can do to support recovery efforts. I visited a number of the impacted communities over the weekend, including Nome, Elim, Golovin, Hooper Bay and Chevak. Throughout my visits, I spent time talking with Tribal leaders, community members, the National Guard, and more, who showed me firsthand the severity of the damage and how much work lies ahead in their road to recovery. We recognize the cost that comes with the destruction to key infrastructure, but we must also consider the challenges that don\u2019t immediately meet the eye\u2014slow moving disasters such as water damage and the loss of cultural and subsistence tools. The financial needs to replace such substantial loss is far too great without additional assistance,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cThis waiver will go a long way in helping repair the storm\u2019s damage to bridges, roads, water treatment plants, homes, airstrips, and more. Rural communities prior to the storm were already challenged, and it\u2019s imperative that we help them get back on their feet and are able to return to their homes and meet basic needs like running water.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe're tough in Alaska. But every now and then\u2014in the aftermath of earthquakes, wildfires, typhoons, and tsunamis \u2014we're going to need federal help. Now is that time,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cJust like our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico, Alaskans are racing to repair homes, foundations, seawalls, airports and other critical pieces of infrastructure. We are also contending with another complication\u2014freeze-up\u2014which leaves a very narrow window to get cash out the door and make these communities whole by winter. Now that FEMA has decided it will cover one-hundred percent of the recovery costs for one month for victims of Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico, FEMA needs to do the same for those recovering from Typhoon Merbok in Western Alaska, where we have some of the most impoverished communities in the country. I reiterate my call on the Biden administration to treat Alaskans fairly and approve this commonsense accommodation for my constituents. I have written to the FEMA Administrator, spoke on the Senate floor about this, and twice talked directly with the Secretary of Homeland Security who told me he would address this matter.\u201d\n\n\u201cHaving just visited Nome and other communities impacted by Typhoon Merbok over the weekend, I\u2019ve now had the chance to speak directly with state and local officials and see the destruction first-hand,\u201d said Representative Peltola. \u201cI am extremely grateful that President Biden so quickly approved Governor Dunleavy\u2019s federal disaster declaration, however, I wish to strongly reiterate my call for FEMA to waive the State of Alaska\u2019s cost share for federal individual and public assistance for recovery efforts. This 100% federal cost share is essential to the timely cleanup efforts that are ongoing.\u201d\n\n\u201cAfter living and working in rural Alaska for 20 years, I know the next few weeks will be critical to getting essential infrastructure, homes and businesses back on their feet before winter takes over in western Alaska,\u201d said Governor Mike Dunleavy. \u201cLifting the cost share for both individual and public assistance means we can address the needs of these communities immediately, and prevent any further hardships for those Alaskan families that have lost their homes and livelihoods due to the storm.\u201d\n\nOn September 16, remnants of Typhoon Merbok produced widespread damage to communities in Western Alaska\u2014flooding to homes and businesses; damage to infrastructure for power and water as well as roads and bridges; and impacts to approximately 1,000 miles of coastline.\n\nOn September 20, Governor Dunleavy requested a federal disaster declaration which was immediately followed by a letter from the Alaska congressional delegation urging President Biden to expeditiously approve his request. On September 23, the President issued a major disaster declaration to support Western Alaska\u2019s recovery.\n\nIn Governor Dunleavy\u2019s Major Disaster request, he requested a federal waiver for the State of Alaska\u2019s cost share for individual and public assistance recovery efforts in western Alaska, which was followed by a letter from the Alaska congressional delegation urging FEMA to approve Governor Dunleavy\u2019s request.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:29:59Z"]], "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.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/alaska-delegation-united-in-urging-president-biden-to-waive-states-cost-share-for-western-alaska-disaster"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3501429930329323, "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"}