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Kentucky lawmakers in Washington urge Trump to sign federal disaster declaration

Wanona Harp paddles through Lockport, Ky., flooded by the Kentucky River, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Carolyn Kaster/AP
/
AP
Wanona Harp paddles through Lockport, Ky., flooded by the Kentucky River, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Kentucky’s congressional delegation is backing Gov. Andy Beshear’s request for a federal disaster declaration following a weeklong flooding event impacting most of the state.

It's a process Kentucky — unfortunately — has become all-too-familiar with: requesting federal disaster relief.

Beshear said last Thursday the state has learned to submit a small number of hard-hit counties first, as it works to get a presidential signature on a declaration.

"The reason we're doing this is we want to make our best case to get that first round in, and then we will add counties after that," he explained during his weekly press briefing.

Now some of the state's Republican leaders on Capitol Hill are joining with the Democratic governor to seek individual assistance for affected Kentuckians.

Sens. Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul, along with Congressman Hal Rogers and Andy Barr, sent a letter to President Trump in support. The letter says the deadly storms produced "historic levels of precipitation" and impacted hundreds of homes and businesses, leaving critical infrastructure "severely damaged."