U.S. Senator David Vitter (R-La.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship (SBC), today sent a letter to Craig Fugate, Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), urging the Administrator to reconsider his decision to skip next week’s SBC Committee hearing on the federal response to recent devastating flooding in Louisiana.

“Louisianians have long felt that FEMA is a big bureaucracy that simply goes through the motions, and so it is very disappointing that the hundreds of thousands of Louisiana small businesses and homeowners who have lost everything will not have the opportunity to hear an update on the flood recovery directly from the horse’s mouth—it is a chance to make things right,” said Vitter. “Next week’s Small Business Committee hearing is an opportunity to show people that FEMA is sincere about managing emergencies and to explain in detail the struggle that many hardworking Louisianians are going through after one of America’s worst natural disasters since Hurricane Sandy.”

Next week Chairman Vitter hold a hearing to hear testimony from victims of last month’s catastrophic flooding in South Louisiana. Committee Members will also examine the initial response to the disaster and discuss the federal resources available to the impacted communities, including coordination efforts between FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to ensure that ongoing recovery efforts are as effective as possible. SBA Administrator Contreras-Sweet is confirmed to testify before the Committee as a panel witness, and HUD Secretary Julian Castro has also been invited to attend. Click here to read more.

On August 25, 2016, Vitter hosted Administrator Contreras-Sweet and Secretary Castro in South Louisiana as they, along with several state and local leaders, toured flood-impacted areas in Livingston, Ascension, and East Baton Rouge parishes. During the visit, Vitter urged SBA and HUD to provide additional recovery resources, including opening more recovery centers for businesses, families, and individuals. Click here to read more.

Click here to read today’s letter.

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