Pappas Co-Sponsors Legislation Reversing FEMA’s Funding Cuts for New Hampshire’s Schools

Mayor Joyce Craig recently announced that FEMA would no longer reimburse Manchester for PPE and disinfectants for teachers, staff, and students. The Manchester School District expects COVID-related costs for this school year alone to reach over $11 million

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) announced that he has co-sponsored legislation to reverse a recent, dangerous decision by FEMA to halt reimbursements for PPE and various other COVID-related expenses incurred by local governments for public schools, public transit, and courthouses.

The FEMA Assistance Relief Act of 2020 would help ease financial burdens on states, as well as local and tribal communities that have been granted disaster declarations this year.

Critically, the legislation also clarifies to FEMA that under the COVID-19 declarations, Congress expects FEMA to cover certain expenses for reimbursement, including personal protective equipment (PPE) and other services for public schools, public transit, and courthouses. This comes one day after the Trump administration informed the City of Manchester and other localities that it had pulled FEMA funding for these critical supplies.

"As students and teachers begin to go back to school this fall, we have no more important obligation than to ensure they can do so safely and with the supplies and resources they need to clean their classrooms and prevent the spread of COVID-19," said Congressman Chris Pappas. "It is alarming and deeply troubling that FEMA would change course so suddenly to end its reimbursements to local governments for PPE and other essential COVID-19 expenses - essentially leaving our cities and towns to fend for themselves. This legislation I co-sponsored would correct that wrong and also ease the overall financial burden on state and local government as they deal with unprecedented revenue shortfalls and increased COVID-19 expenses."

"Ensuring the health and safety of our residents, employees and visitors is our top priority during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why we've made significant investments in ordering PPE, cleaning supplies and more. With the recent decision to halt reimbursements for PPE, our school district is left paying $2.2 million in expenses, costs they were told would be covered by FEMA," said Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig. "I want to thank Congressman Pappas for co-sponsoring this important legislation. Together, we must do whatever we can to ensure our schools are stocked with enough PPE and cleaning supplies to keep our students, educators and staff safe."

Rep. Pappas has been relentless in his advocacy for funding for state, county, and local governments to help them weather the storm of COVID-19. He led a letter signed by a bipartisan group of New Hampshire leaders including every mayor and county commissioner in the state including Mayor Craig, calling for Congress to provide additional funding for state, county, and local governments. And he has held events and roundtable conversations with local leaders to highlight the need for more funding for state, local, and county governments.

Background:

The FEMA Assistance Relief Act of 2020 would:

• Clarify to FEMA that under the COVID-19 declarations, the Agency may—and Congress expects—FEMA to cover certain expenses for reimbursement, including personal protective equipment (PPE) and other services for public schools, public transit, and courthouses. This comes on the heels of the Trump administration pulling funding for critical supplies, like PPE and disinfecting schools.
• Adjust the FEMA cost-share for all Emergencies and Major Disasters declared in the calendar year 2020 to not less than 90 percent Federal and 10 percent non-Federal, up from the typical 75 percent Federal and 25 percent non-Federal;
• Adjust the FEMA cost-share for all COVID-19 related Emergency and Major Disaster declarations to 100 percent Federal;

The FEMA Assistance Relief Act of 2020 adjusts the Federal cost-share of certain Federal disaster assistance provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act). This legislation, the "FEMA Assistance Relief Act," would help ease financial burdens on states, as well as local and tribal communities that have been granted Stafford Act Emergency and Major Disaster declarations this year.

Typically, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments pick up 25 percent of the costs of FEMA assistance, but, with their own response costs up and tax receipts down, it's critical these communities have the resources to respond to multiple crises, including wildfires in the West, hurricanes in the South, and the ongoing pandemic.