MILWAUKEE – Wisconsin’s Governor and Congressional delegation are not waiting for federal emergency workers to run through their usual process before aggressively seeking a federal disaster declaration for flood ravaged southeast Wisconsin. Touring flood damage in the northern part of his first congressional district, Congressman Bryan Steil (R) Janesville was thinking of the students, who won’t be back in school next week. “When you walk in the door and you see the flood damage, your heart sinks,” Steil told WTMJ’s Wis. Morning News after visiting Journeys Lutheran School in Hales Corners. “You know there would be children in that school this week. Instead, that school is not going to start for about another two weeks as they get themselves back and up on their feet.”
Related: City of Milwaukee provides flood recovery update
Congressman Steil called what he saw at the southern Milwaukee County school an all too familiar story. “What you saw there, is what you see across the Milwaukee area. Homes that had water in their basements, businesses that got impacted, schools,” Steil explained. Federal Emergency Management officials wrapped up in-person site visits in Milwaukee, Waukesha, and Washington Counties a week ago. Typically, the Governor would wait until their report is finished before formally seeking a disaster declaration which frees up money for victims.
Governor Tony Evers, however, has already submitted the request, and Congressman Steil says he his Wisconsin congressional colleagues are lobbying President Trump for a quick decision. “We believe the damage in the Milwaukee area is so significant, we may be able to obtain a federal declaration before the joint preliminary damage assessment is actually, fully complete.” Steil says they’ve reached out to President Trump in an effort to have him “accelerate this review.”
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