President Donald Trump said he would provide more federal aid to Texas flood victims after the Federal Emergency Management Agency denied the state's initial request for individual assistance. The request covered people recovering from widespread flooding in July. FEMA had approved aid for some counties to cover infrastructure repairs, but individuals have relied on limited nonprofit funds and their own money.
Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, formally appealed the denial on Tuesday. Trump made his comments the same day at a Republican campaign rally in Corpus Christi. He said the decision came at the request of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is running for the other U.S. Senate seat in Texas and appeared on stage with Trump. Kidd has asked FEMA to reconsider its denial for 20 of 30 counties where individuals needed aid, including Kerr and Uvalde.
Kidd also appealed the denial of Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds, which help communities prepare for future disasters. The state said this year's floods damaged 2,944 homes and small businesses, including 132 that were destroyed.