Niagara Leader

Oswego, New York — Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) joined Representatives Brandon Williams (NY-22), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Nick Langworthy (NY-23), and Elise Stefanik (NY-21) in sending a letter to President Biden in support of the request made for a Presidential Emergency Declaration for the State of New York.

On July 15th and 16th, severe weather across fifteen New York counties caused over 400,000 power outages due to downed trees and power lines. This includes Genesee, Jefferson, Oswego, and Ontario counties, which are located within NY-24.

"The severe weather we experienced in July caused significant damage and hardship for countless New Yorkers, including members of our NY-24 community. President Biden must promptly issue a Presidential Emergency Declaration for the State of New York to ensure our communities receive the federal assistance needed for recovery and rebuilding,” said Congresswoman Tenney.

“It is more important now than ever that we come together, across levels of government, to respond to the disaster that has struck our communities. A Presidential Emergency Declaration would greatly aid ongoing efforts to provide relief to constituents who have been impacted, and I join my colleagues in supporting the Governor’s request,” said Congressman Williams.

“My office has worked diligently to provide our Upstate New York and North Country communities with resources as we work to recover from the devastating storms that swept our district this month. I am now calling on the Biden-Harris Administration to issue a Presidential Emergency Declaration for the State of New York and unleash additional resources to help our NY-21 communities persevere through this tragedy and rebuild our communities,” said Congresswoman Stefanik.

“As Western New York and the rest of the state recover from the tornadoes that tore apart homes, farms, and businesses, I will continue to work with my colleagues at all levels of government to secure support to rebuild our communities. A federal disaster declaration will ensure we have the necessary resources to restore local infrastructure and livelihoods,” said Congressman Langworthy.

“After the devastating storms that swept across Upstate New York earlier this month, I’m proud to join my colleagues in supporting Governor Hochul’s request for a Presidential Emergency Declaration — a critical first step toward providing our constituents with the resources they need to recover. With severe weather events like these storms on the rise across our nation, I’ll continue pushing for a robust federal response to keeps our communities safe,” said Congressman Paul Tonko.

Read the full text of the letter here.