Florida congressional delegation to convene on hurricane resiliency

Reps. Michael Waltz, Kat Cammack, Maxwell Frost, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Vern Buchanan, Brian Mast at a Delegation meeting. Photo by Jacob Ogles.

The Florida congressional delegation will convene in Washington to discuss the state’s recovery efforts and how to improve resiliency.

U.S. Reps. Vern Buchanan and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Co-Chairs of the delegation, called a hearing for 8 a.m. Wednesday at the Rayburn House Office Building. The bipartisan delegation leaders said it was important for lawmakers to come together after three back-to-back hurricanes — Debby, Helene and Milton — struck Florida in a single year.

“Our constituents deserve the full support of the federal government as they continue to recover and rebuild from last year’s devastating hurricanes,” said Buchanan, a Longboat Key Republican. He represents a Gulf Coast district touched by multiple storms.

“Many of my constituents incurred thousands of dollars in disaster-related expenses, and we must do everything we can in Washington to help those still suffering. Our congressional delegation is committed to supporting those still rebuilding and prioritizing efforts to prepare for future hurricanes.”

Even parts of the state far from where storms made landfall saw damage from related rain and tornadoes.

“Thousands of Florida residents are still putting their lives back together after hurricanes Helene and Milton upended them last year,” said Wasserman Schultz, a Weston Democrat.

“Getting them fully back on their feet remains a top priority. And with the next hurricane season just two months away, I’m committed to working closely with our entire delegation to make sure Florida has the tools and resources we need, including stronger recovery efforts and better forecasting and preparation, to weather the storms ahead.”

A panel of experts from Florida and Washington will testify to the delegation, including Florida Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mark Wilson, National Weather Service Director Ken Graham from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Florida Chief Resilience Officer Wesley Brooks.

Florida’s congressional delegation includes both of the state’s U.S. Senators, Ashley Moody and Rick Scott, along with 28 House members. The House delegation has 20 Republicans and eight Democrats.

The state of hurricane response has drawn criticism from the left and right in the last year. Republicans criticized the Federal Emergency Management Agency over political discrimination after Hurricane Milton, a scandal that resulted in the firing of several supervisors. More recently, Democrats have criticized the Department of Government Efficiency calling for layoffs of hundreds of forecasters at the National Weather Service ahead of hurricane season.