"I am disappointed and appalled by FEMA's denial of Florida's appeal to provide individual assistance to the victims of Hurricane Katrina in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.  Once again, FEMA has failed and turned its back on roughly 11,000 individuals and 350 or more homeowners whose homes were either severely damaged or destroyed as a result of Hurricane Katrina. It is irresponsible an unconscionable that a federal government agency charged with providing relief to individuals in dire need would deny assistance based on an arbitrary bureaucratic determination.  As our nation prepares for the aftermath of yet another severe hurricane, I am hopeful that my colleagues in the Congress will support my legislation to bring relief to Florida's victims of Hurricane Katrina."

Late last night, FEMA announced that it had denied the State of Florida's September 6, 2005 appeal of FEMA's previous decision to deny Individual Assistance for Broward and Miami-Dade counties covering damage caused as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

State emergency management officials have stated publicly that estimated crop loss approaches $500 million and that roughly 11,000 people had applied for assistance as a result of Hurricane Katrina in Florida.

On September 8, 2005, Rep. Wasserman Schultz introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that would direct FEMA to provide individual assistance to Floridians who suffered damage from Hurricane Katrina.  The legislation has been co-sponsored by every member of Florida's delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives.

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