Kentucky
Rogers requests new funding for eastern Kentucky recovery
Recovery efforts in eastern Kentucky continue a year after devastating floods swept through the area, killing 45 people and leaving many more without a place to live.
What You Need To Know
- Rep. Hal Rogers, who represents eastern Kentucky in Congress, stood with Democrats Gov. Andy Beshear and President Joe Biden to promise bipartisan support as the area started the recovery process. Rogers said he thinks they’ve been able to deliver that
- Rogers said “great progress” has been made in the last year, but emphasized that there is still much more to do
- Rogers, who serves a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, has requested millions in funding for 15 different community projects. Several of those projects aim to boost recovery efforts
“One of the most tragic things that you can imagine,” Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky., said as he described the July 2022 floods.
Rogers, who represents that area in Congress, stood with Democrats Gov. Andy Beshear and President Joe Biden to promise bipartisan support as the area started its recovery process. Rogers said he thinks they’ve been able to deliver that.
Kathy Hall throws out damaged belongings on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Hindman, Ky., in the aftermath of massive flooding. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
“That’s true in spades in this case because of the multi-political parties that are involved,” Rogers said.
Although he said “great progress” has been made in the last year, he emphasized that there is still much more to do.
“We’ve still got people sleeping in cars,” Rogers explained. “We’re trying to get housing for people. We’re trying to satisfy their claims for damages.”
In Washington, Rogers is a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee. That position allows him to advocate for people in the area.
“So many of them lost everything,” Rogers said of the flood survivors. “The family bible, family pictures, not to mention the home and cars and trucks and neighbors who suffered the same fate.”
The Kentucky congressman has requested millions in funding for 15 different community projects. Several of those projects aim to boost recovery efforts, including $3 million to help flood survivors find housing and $500,000 to study flood mitigation.
“We’re trying to look to the future to see what we can do to try to prevent this from occurring again. I’ve requested appropriations to study the length of the Kentucky River,” Rogers said.
12 of the 15 requests Rogers made have been approved by the House Appropriations Committee. He said he will continue to push to advance the other three as the committee completes its federal funding bills.