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Moolenaar Introduces the Rural Disaster Support and Relief Act

May 19, 2021

Today, Congressman John Moolenaar introduced the Rural Disaster Support and Relief Act. The legislation will increase federal cost-sharing assistance to communities of 50,000 or fewer residents after a federal disaster in 2020 or 2021.

"This legislation will help local governments affected by last year's flooding save millions of dollars," said Congressman Moolenaar. "This has been a difficult year and local communities in our region are still coping with the overall costs of the damage. This bill will alleviate the financial burden for communities and their residents."

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the Edenville Dam and Sanford Dam failures, and this legislation is another part of Congressman Moolenaar's legislative efforts to help residents and communities recover from last year's tragedy.

As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Moolenaar recently asked the committee to support funding for public safety booms on the Secord and Smallwood dams, as well as funding to help the City of Midland with its sewer system, which was overwhelmed with water coming downstream last year. He has also asked the committee for funding to help the Midland Center for the Arts rebuild after several of its buildings were damaged last year.

Moolenaar is also working across the aisle with Congresswoman Debbie Dingell to pass the National Dam and Hydropower Safety Act, to increase accountability and help prevent future tragedies.

A copy of the Rural Disaster Support and Relief Act is attached to this press release.

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