Mississippi’s congressional delegation hopes President Donald Trump’s administration will approve a disaster declaration for the state after deadly tornadoes ripped through the South, but the request has been pending for a month. 

Gov. Tate Reeves submitted a disaster declaration request to the Federal Emergency Management Agency on April 1. If approved, it would allow millions of federal dollars to be allocated to state and local governments. 

The state’s four congressmen and two senators signed a letter on April 2 urging the Trump administration to quickly approve the request. But Lea Crager, a spokesperson for FEMA, told Mississippi Today in a statement that the request is pending.  

The tornadoes impacted around 20 Mississippi counties in mid-March. They caused an estimated $18.2 million in damages, destroyed 233 homes and damaged 208 homes, according to the letter from the federal lawmakers. 

U.S. Rep. Michael Guest, a Republican congressman who represents areas struck by the tornadoes, said in a statement that he has been in contact with Trump’s staff multiple times over the last two weeks and is waiting for the administration to sign off on the request. 

The administration has denied a similar request from Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a former Trump White House press secretary, over damage from the same storm system. The administration has also denied requests for disaster relief from other states.

Sanders is appealing that decision, and the state’s congressional delegation, all of whom are Republicans, wrote a letter to the Trump administration asking them to reconsider the denial. 

Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have also floated the idea of dismantling FEMA and suggested that states should spend more of their own money to deal with storm recovery efforts. 

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, the state’s lone Democrat in Washington, is the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee. He offered an amendment in the committee recently that would have prevented the federal agency from using federal funds to shutter FEMA. His amendment failed in the GOP-majority committee. 

“For the life of me, I can’t understand why, right now, Arkansas and Mississippi have requested disaster declaration from the president, and he’s refused to give it,” Thompson said in the committee meeting. “North Carolina is struggling. We’re a better country than this.” 

Mississippi has historically benefited from FEMA’s assistance in the wake of deadly storms.

After Hurricane Katrina’s historic devastation in 2005, Mississippi received nearly $25 billion in federal relief spending, which state leaders have credited with saving the state from ruin and allowing communities and families to rebuild.

Below are the full responses from the state delegation to questions from Mississippi Today about the pending disaster declaration request and Trump’s suggestions to shutter FEMA: 

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker: 

“Mississippi is no stranger to natural disasters. Unfortunately, we are also too familiar with FEMA’s bureaucratic red tape, which stops Mississippians from getting the help they need. I look forward to Mississippi getting much-needed disaster relief and hearing President Trump’s ideas to make FEMA more efficient.”

U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, through her spokesperson, Chris Gallegos: 

“The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act authorizes the issuance of major disaster or emergency declarations, which make assistance available to protect property, human health and safety.  These declarations trigger critical aid to people in need, and Senator Hyde-Smith fully supports the Governor’s request on behalf of Mississippians impacted by the tornadoes last month.  The Senator, who serves on the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, is also open to exploring options for making the delivery of disaster assistance more efficient and cost-effective.”

U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly, 1st Congressional District: 

Did not respond to a request for comment.

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, 2nd Congressional District: 

“Of course, I hope President Trump approves Mississippi’s disaster declaration quickly – but given how he’s been acting lately, I’m not sure we can depend on him to quickly do the right thing. Mississippi, just like every other state, relies on FEMA when disasters strike – whether it’s a storm or a massive hurricane. President Trump wanting to eliminate FEMA is shameful and makes no sense. We’re making sure he won’t be able to do it.”

U.S. Rep. Michael Guest, 3rd Congressional District:

“I have been monitoring the recovery efforts made necessary by storms that hit our state in March. The devastation is awful, and Mississippians are suffering. Right after the storms, I was on the ground for damage assessment, and I have been in continuous contact with those impacted by the storms. Governor Reeves submitted his disaster assistance request to President Trump on April 1st. On April 2nd, the Mississippi Congressional Delegation sent a letter to President Trump requesting his approval of FEMA Federal Assistance. I have been in touch with the President’s staff multiple times in the last two weeks, and we are currently waiting for his final sign-off. Mississippi will rebuild, and we will be stronger when we reach the other side.”

U.S. Rep. Mike Ezell, 4th Congressional District: 

Did not respond to a request for comment.