Durbin, Duckworth, Members Of The Illinois Congressional Delegation Urge Small Business Administration To Grant An Economic Injury Disaster Declaration For Jo Daviess County
SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today sent a letter to Small Business Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman urging her to grant Governor JB Pritzker’s request for a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Declaration for Jo Daviess County, Illinois. The letter comes after severe flooding in the area earlier this month.
Led by Durbin and Duckworth, the letter was also signed by U.S. Representatives Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Mike Bost (R-IL-12), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14), Darin LaHood (R-IL-16), and Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17).
“We are writing in support of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s request for a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Declaration for Jo Daviess County, Illinois, as a result of severe flooding,” wrote the lawmakers.
“Since last month, high Mississippi River water levels and subsequent flooding have severely impacted the businesses in the area. From July 3 through July 10, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s gauge on the Mississippi River at Dubuque detected major flooding, with water levels at more than 21.5 feet. The impacted businesses require assistance to adequately recover,” the lawmakers continued.
The lawmakers closed the letter by urging SBA to swiftly approve the disaster declaration in addition to offering SBA disaster loans to counties surrounding Jo Daviess County.
“As such, we respectfully request that you issue an SBA Disaster Declaration for Jo Daviess County, and we request that the SBA disaster loans also be offered to the counties that are contiguous to the aforementioned county,” the lawmakers concluded their letter.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
July 18, 2024
Dear Administrator Guzman:
We are writing in support of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s request for a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Declaration for Jo Daviess County, Illinois, as a result of severe flooding.
Since last month, high Mississippi River water levels and subsequent flooding have severely impacted the businesses in the area. From July 3 through July 10, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s gauge on the Mississippi River at Dubuque detected major flooding, with water levels at more than 21.5 feet. The impacted businesses require assistance to adequately recover.
Assisting these residents in recovery is of utmost importance, and Governor Pritzker has determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state and local governments.
As such, we respectfully request that you issue an SBA Disaster Declaration for Jo Daviess County, and we request that the SBA disaster loans also be offered to the counties that are contiguous to the aforementioned county.
Sincerely,
-30-