In response to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) decision to deny Illinois’ request for public assistance following the devastating storms in November, U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis of Taylorville, along with several other U.S. representatives, introduced bipartisan legislation in regards to the FEMA disaster declaration process. Davis tells Regional Radio News that it’s about creating a fair process:
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According to a report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), FEMA already takes into account several factors when determining the need for Public and Individual Assistance. However, there is currently no standard to determine which factor is more important than another, which leads to a highly subjective and uncertain process that leaves states and communities in limbo for weeks as their application is considered.