KENTUCKY, USA — Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell and Senator Rand Paul both spoke about the devastation that has ravaged their state of Kentucky overnight Friday into early Saturday morning.
The storm is blamed for dozens of deaths and miles of destruction across the commonwealth.
McConnell released a statement saying "I am praying for the lives lost and communities impacted by the tornado devastation throughout the Commonwealth."
He went on to thank the first responders and the National Guard for their brave efforts amid this tragedy.
Senator Rand Paul also released a statement, saying "Our hearts are broken for all those suffering from last night’s horrific storms. As daylight comes and we begin to fully understand the severity of the devastation, we mourn and we pray.“
Paul went on to say, "I and my team will do all we can to assist our local and state officials as they lead the immediate response, and we will aggressively help families, businesses, and officials access the federal recovery resources.”
Senator Paul also immediately sent a letter to President Biden requesting expedited approval of Governor Andy Beshear's requests for federal assistance.
In the letter, he said, "The Governor of the Commonwealth has requested federal assistance this morning, and certainly further requests will be coming as the situation is assessed. I fully support those requests and ask that you move expeditiously to approve the appropriate resources for our state."
McConnell also supported the Governor's request for federal assistance, saying it was necessary "in order to aid these hard-hit communities with the funding and resources they need to rebuild.”
According to Governor Andy Beshear in a press conference held Dec 11, 2021, President Biden has now signed a Federal Emergency Disaster Declaration.
"That rarely happens in the midst of a disaster and it shows how bad it is." said Beshear.
The declaration opens up a lot of opportunities and resources for the state, such as immediate reimbursement for the things they are doing to clean up the damage and get help to Kentuckians impacted by the severe weather.
Drone images show Kentucky tornado damage
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