As Florida continues to recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, small businesses seeking federal aid face mounting deadlines that cannot adequately be met. Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Laurel Lee (R-FL) have written to the Small Business Administration (SBA) urging deadline extensions so that these businesses can still receive aid.
The letter noted that disaster loans from the SBA require a physical damage report to approve, but unfortunately, the back-to-back nature of Helene and Milton has left assessors unable to inspect for damages due to continued flooding and displacement. In fact, assessors could not adequately inspect the damage Helene had caused because preparations for Milton were already underway.
As a result, the nature of such hurricane damage makes the November 27th deadline for SBA assistance related to Helene and the December 10th deadline for assistance pertaining to Milton too soon. Thus, Rep. Bilirakis asked for an additional 30 days for each deadline.
"While our constituents have been resilient in the face of these catastrophic storms, they require the full support of the federal government to help them get back on their feet and help our communities and economy recover. Our constituents are depending on clear Congressional action and cannot afford any extended disruptions in funding for this proven and successful program," the letter said.
The letter comes on the heels of the recent controversy surrounding the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), where an employee, Marn'i Washington, allegedly told aid workers to avoid houses displaying signs supporting President-elect Donald Trump in their yards, sparking outrage from Republicans.
"FEMA denying disaster relief to Floridians based on political beliefs. This is why Florida needs the @FLStateGuard - to ensure fair, impartial, impartial aid for ALL Floridians in times of crisis," said State Rep. Tom Fabricio, who represents Miami Lakes.
On Thursday, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody filed a complaint against FEMA for the alleged discrimination, declaring, "Hurricane season is not over, and the federal agency in charge of emergency response is embroiled in scandal – caught withholding aid from storm victims in Florida who support President Trump. I am taking swift legal action to find out how far this political discrimination reaches and to make sure all Americans who fall victim to devastating storms are served, regardless of their political affiliation."
