In the wake of Hurricane Milton’s landfall in Florida and the devastation left by Hurricane Helene, Congressman Eric Sorensen—America’s sole meteorologist in Congress—has issued a strong appeal for congressional action. Citing his extensive experience with extreme weather, Sorensen emphasizes the urgent need for disaster relief funding as climate change accelerates the severity of such events. He urges Speaker Johnson to reconvene the House, urging bipartisan cooperation to bolster FEMA and the Small Business Administration’s capacities to aid affected communities. The call comes as resources dwindle, with the SBA reporting only weeks of funding remaining despite recent allocations.
“As a meteorologist for over two decades, I have witnessed up-close massive floods, tornados, hurricanes, derechos, and other extreme weather events that have destroyed homes, shuttered businesses, and harmed livelihoods. With Milton and Helene, we are seeing these types of hurricanes intensify at a more rapid pace, leaving us with little time to prepare for the road to recovery,” said Sorensen.
“Congress has the responsibility to be good neighbors, step in, and help those communities across the country that are struggling to rebuild in the aftermath of natural disasters, including right here in Illinois. I am calling on Speaker Johnson to bring the House back into session, set partisan politics aside, and do the work that the people sent us here to do: help impacted Americans by making sure FEMA and the Small Business Administration have disaster relief funds.”
