Sen. McConnell calling on FEMA to help eastern Kentucky flood victims more

THIS IS WLKY NEWS AT SIX. GOOD EVENING. I’M VICKI DORTCH RICK VAN HOOSE, THE TOP REPUBLICAN IN CONGRESS JOINS THE CALL FOR FEMA TO DO MORE TO HELP FLOOD VICTIMS IN EASTERN KENTUCKY. SENATE MINORITY LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL MADE THE COMMENTS TODAY DURING STOPS IN LOUISVILLE AND WLKY. HE’S MARK VANDERHOFF BRINGS US MORE. SENATOR MCCONNELL’S FIRST STOP WAS HERE AT THE UPS OFFICES IN LOUISVILLE TO TALK ABOUT WORKFORCE ISSUES WITH LOCAL BUSINESS LEADERS. WHEN HE CAME OUT TO TALK TO THE PRESS, HIS TOP PRIORITY WAS TALKING ABOUT INFLATION. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT A REPUBLICAN HOUSE AND SENATE OR A HOUSE OR SENATE WILL NOT BE INTERESTED IN PASSING ANY MORE OF THESE MASSIVE SPENDING BILLS. MCCONNELL BEGAN HIS COMMENTS BY BLAMING DEMOCRATS FOR STOKING INFLATION. BUT HE SOON BEGAN DISCUSSING A CONCERN. DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR ANDY BESHEAR HAS REPEATEDLY VOICED THAT FEMA IS NOT DOING ENOUGH IN EASTERN KENTUCKY. HONESTLY THINK THE RESPONSE OF FEMA AT LEAST SO FAR, HAS NOT BEEN UP TO. I’D LIKE TO SEE IF THAT HAS IMPROVED. MANY EASTERN KENTUCKY RESIDENTS HAVE COMPLAINED THEIR FEMA PAYMENTS ARE NOWHERE NEAR ENOUGH TO REPLACE THEIR HOMES DESTROYED BY MASSIVE FLOODS ONE MONTH AGO. MOST OF THOSE RESIDENTS DID NOT HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE EITHER. THIS IS A DESPERATE SITUATION. AS AWFUL AS THE TORNADOES WERE. I THINK OF THE FLOODS, THE AFTERMATH AND THE BUILD UP OF THE RECOVERY ARE GOING TO BE EVEN TOUGHER. LAST WEEK, STATE LAWMAKERS SENT $200 MILLION IN STATE MONEY TO, EASTERN KENTUCKY. BUT THOSE FUNDS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE FOR ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS, NOT FOR REBUILDING HOMES. I THINK THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE CERTAINLY MADE THE RIGHT DECISION TO GO INTO SPECIAL SESSION LAST WEEK TO ALLOCATE, BUT LIKELY TO JUST BE THE FIRST TRANCHE TO FINANCE THE COMEBACK. ASKED WHAT CONGRESS COULD DO TO HELP, MCCONNELL SAID THERE ARE ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS TO HELP HOMEOWNERS SUCH AS LOW INTEREST LOANS. WE’RE NOT TRUE. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING AND SO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NOT, YOU MENTIONED THE STATE GOVERNMENT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO STILL HAVE AN ONGOING RESPONSIBILI

The top Republican in congress joined in on calling for FEMA to do more to help flood victims in eastern Kentucky. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell made those comments on Monday during his stops in Louisville and Lexington.McConnell's first stop was at the UPS offices in Louisville to talk about workforce issues with local business leaders. When he spoke, his top priority was inflation."I can assure you a Republican House and Senate, or House or Senate, will not be interested in passing any more of these mass spending bills," McConnell said.He began his comments by blaming Democrats for stoking inflation. But he soon began discussing a concern Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear has repeatedly voiced; that FEMA is not doing enough in eastern Kentucky."Honestly, I think the response of FEMA, at least so far, has not been up to speed," said McConnell. "I'd like to see if that has improved."Many eastern Kentucky residents have complained that their FEMA payments are nowhere near enough to replace their homes destroyed by the flooding last month. Most of those residents didn't have insurance, either."This is a desperate situation. As awful as the tornadoes were, I think the floods, the aftermath and the recovery, are going to be even tougher," McConnell said.Last week, state lawmakers sent $200 million in state money to eastern Kentucky. But those funds are only for roads and infrastructure, schools and public buildings."I think the governor and the legislature certainly made the right decision to go into special session last week to allocate what's likely to be the first tranche to finance the comeback," McConnell said.He also said that lowering interest loans could help homeowners."We're not through. This is just the beginning," said McConnell. "The federal government is going to still have an ongoing responsibility down there. I think we're just getting started."

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —

McConnell's first stop was at the UPS offices in Louisville to talk about workforce issues with local business leaders. When he spoke, his top priority was inflation.

"I can assure you a Republican House and Senate, or House or Senate, will not be interested in passing any more of these mass spending bills," McConnell said.

He began his comments by blaming Democrats for stoking inflation. But he soon began discussing a concern Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear has repeatedly voiced; that FEMA is not doing enough in eastern Kentucky.

"Honestly, I think the response of FEMA, at least so far, has not been up to speed," said McConnell. "I'd like to see if that has improved."

Many eastern Kentucky residents have complained that their FEMA payments are nowhere near enough to replace their homes destroyed by the flooding last month. Most of those residents didn't have insurance, either.

"This is a desperate situation. As awful as the tornadoes were, I think the floods, the aftermath and the recovery, are going to be even tougher," McConnell said.

Last week, state lawmakers sent $200 million in state money to eastern Kentucky. But those funds are only for roads and infrastructure, schools and public buildings.

"I think the governor and the legislature certainly made the right decision to go into special session last week to allocate what's likely to be the first tranche to finance the comeback," McConnell said.

He also said that lowering interest loans could help homeowners.

"We're not through. This is just the beginning," said McConnell. "The federal government is going to still have an ongoing responsibility down there. I think we're just getting started."

Sen. McConnell calling on FEMA to help eastern Kentucky flood victims more

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