McConnell, Paul Support State Request For Federal Assistant

In a joint letter to the secretary of agriculture, Kentucky's two U.S. Senators have expressed their support for Governor Steve Beshear’s request for additional federal disaster relief for the commonwealth's agrarian communities.Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Rand Paul sent the message to  Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on Wednesday, asking for immediate assistance in the face of record flooding, high winds and tornadoes that have swept through the state since April.Widespread flooding continues to devastate parts of the state and Beshear has requested that 37 counties be included in a new request for assistance from the Department of Agriculture.“The flooding has destroyed hundreds of thousands of households and farms, and as we determine the extent of the damage of the rainfall and resulting flooding, it is clear that the agricultural sector faces significant economic hardships in this region of Kentucky,” McConnell and Paul wrote. “Such a declaration would provide needed assistance for Kentucky farmers to pay essential farm and living expenses.”In April, McConnell and Paul sent a letter to President Barack Obama expressing their support for the governor’s request for a major disaster declaration. The president approved that request last week.