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From: Arapahoe Public Mirror
Today, Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson’s voted for $7 billion in emergency natural disaster aid to help victims of this year’s Missouri River flooding, Missouri tornadoes, Texas wildfires and damage in Eastern States from Hurricane Irene.
Senator Nelson voted for two amendments that would have cut other federal spending while providing aid, and he voted for the final plan of emergency disaster assistance that the Senate passed to speed aid to Nebraskans and others nationwide affected by this year’s severe natural disasters.
“Nebraskans and other Americans affected by this year’s natural disasters, from floods to tornadoes to wildfires to hurricanes, shouldn’t have to wait for Washington to stop its job-killing political games so they can put their lives and businesses back together,” said Nelson. “They need this emergency aid, and now. That said, the aid should be paid for as part of the overall effort to cut federal spending and bring down the debt.
“In addition to helping Nebraskans and others recover from the natural disasters, the aid package will create jobs in Nebraska.
“The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which will receive most of the disaster aid, will use it in Nebraska to fix up roads, bridges and community infrastructure damaged by the Missouri River floods.
“In addition, the disaster aid package beefs up the Emergency Conservation Program and the Emergency Watershed Program, which can help get more than 100,000 acres of Nebraska farmland flooded in the disaster back into production,” Nelson added.
“The disaster aid package provides more funding so the Army Corps of Engineers can address the excessive needs for emergency repairs to structures and flood-weakened levees all along the Missouri River. Added funding in the disaster aid package will go to the Community Development Block Grant program that may help communities like South Sioux City recover quickly from this season of extremely high water,” the senator said.
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