Senator Marco Rubio | Official U.S. House headshot
Senator Marco Rubio | Official U.S. House headshot
Due to the significant impact of Hurricane Milton on the Seminole Tribe of Florida, a request for a major disaster declaration has been made to aid in response and recovery efforts. U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott have taken steps to support this request by sending a letter to President Joe Biden, urging immediate approval.
The senators emphasized the importance of providing federal resources to assist the tribe. "Ensuring the Tribe has access to the federal resources needed for its ongoing response and recovery efforts is imperative to protecting members of the tribe, their communities and property," they stated in their letter.
The request highlights that Hurricane Milton affected all Seminole Tribal lands in Florida, with severe damage reported at several reservations including Tampa, Brighton, Big Cypress, Immokalee, as well as Lakeland and Fort Pierce trust parcels.
The full text of their appeal was addressed directly to President Biden:
"Dear Mr. President:
We write in support of the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s request for an expedited Major Disaster Declaration related to the devastating impacts of major Hurricane Milton, which made landfall in Florida on October 9, 2024.
As detailed in the request submitted by Chairman Marcellus W. Osceola, Jr., Hurricane Milton impacted all Seminole Tribal lands in the state, with the most severe damage caused to the Tampa, Brighton, Big Cypress, and Immokalee Seminole Indian Reservations, as well as the Lakeland and Fort Pierce trust parcels. Ensuring the Tribe has access to the federal resources needed for its ongoing response and recovery efforts is imperative to protecting members of the tribe, their communities and property. As such, we urge you to promptly approve the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s request for an expedited Major Disaster Declaration.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter."
The plea from Senators Rubio and Scott underscores a pressing need for assistance following natural disasters affecting indigenous communities.
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