Contact: Chris Gallegos, 202-224-5054

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today pledged to work with state and federal agencies to ensure that appropriate assistance and achievable timelines are in place to aid in the recovery from damages caused by Hurricane Isaac in Mississippi.

Cochran, vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, on Tuesday morning toured areas of Jackson County that sustained damage and experienced subsequent flooding from the slow-moving hurricane last week.  The Senator’s visit also included discussions with local and county officials.

“It is heartening to witness the readiness of Mississippians who get right to work following a major storm.  I am also pleased that local, state and federal agencies have been quick to establish cleanup and recovery operations following Hurricane Isaac,” Cochran said. “We are also grateful for the outreach and assistance provided by religious and nonprofit groups.”

“I am interested in seeing that people have access to the help they need and to ensuring that realistic timelines and rules are in place so that recovery work on the local level can be done efficiently and in a cost-effective manner.  This is important to individual homeowners, as well as businesses and local governments,” he said.

Cochran is scheduled to meet with officials at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Picayune City Hall as part of a review of hurricane and flood-damaged areas in Hancock and Pearl River counties.

Cochran, who also serves on the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the Federal Emergency Management Agency, additionally pledged to work with Governor Phil Bryant and the congressional delegation to provide a unified front as recovery operations continue in Mississippi.

LINKS:
•   Mississippi Emergency Management Agency: http://msema.org/
•   Federal Emergency Management Agency: http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4081?page=0%2C0%2C0
•   Small Business Administration: http://www.sba.gov/about-offices-content/4/2818/news/285781
•   American Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org/news/article/Red-Cross-Helping-People-Recover-Along-Gulf-Coast

###