1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

I am writing to you as your constituent to demand immediate and public action regarding the federal government’s denial of disaster assistance to Arizona counties affected by severe flooding in September. These storms caused documented damage to homes, roads, public infrastructure, and local economies. Communities experienced losses well beyond routine emergency response costs. The State of Arizona formally requested federal disaster assistance after assessing the scale of the damage, following the exact process required under federal law. Despite this, FEMA denied the request—claiming the damage did not meet the threshold for federal assistance. That decision has left affected communities without access to critical recovery funds, forcing local governments and residents to shoulder costs that federal disaster programs exist specifically to cover. This is not how disaster response is supposed to work. Federal disaster aid is not charity. It is a system Americans collectively fund so that when catastrophe overwhelms local and state capacity, recovery does not depend on geography, politics, or arbitrary interpretation of thresholds. When those standards are applied inconsistently or rigidly, people suffer unnecessarily. Congress is not a bystander in this process. FEMA operates under congressional authority and oversight. Members of Congress have both the responsibility and the tools to intervene when federal agencies fail to meet the spirit and intent of the law. Silence or inaction in the face of this denial effectively endorses it. I am asking you to take clear, measurable action: • Publicly challenge FEMA’s denial of Arizona’s disaster request • Support and press for a successful appeal of the decision • Use congressional oversight powers to demand transparency and accountability in how FEMA applies disaster thresholds • Advocate for the immediate release of federal aid to affected Arizona communities Americans don’t treat each other this way. When disaster strikes, we help. We do not abandon people to prolonged recovery because of bureaucratic defensiveness or narrow interpretations of eligibility. If this denial stands, I expect you to explain—clearly and publicly—why Arizona communities were deemed undeserving of assistance routinely provided to other states facing comparable disasters. More importantly, I expect you to explain what steps you took to prevent that outcome. Please respond with the specific actions you are taking on this issue. Not general statements. Not talking points. Action.