“Whatever life gives you, even if it hurts, just be strong and act like you are okay. Strong walls shake but never collapse.”
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Last week, the USDA announced it has waived the 10-day reporting requirement for replacing food purchased with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits that was lost due to storms and flooding in Wayne County. The waiver will allow households impacted by recent flooding to request replacement of SNAP benefits through July 15, 2021. Wayne County residents should contact their local Department of Human Services office for more information.
Work continues to bring government at levels together to assess significant damage to homes, businesses, and roads and bridges from recent storms. Much work remains to be done on this front. Too many residents of Southeast Michigan are worried, scared, and don’t know what to do to recover.
Basements are flooded family photos are ruined, and carpets are soaked. People across Southeast Michigan have been devastated by these storms, and as elected leaders, we need to hear their concerns and take action.
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Last week, I met with leaders throughout Southeast Michigan and FEMA who have begun assessing and auditing damage and speaking to impacted residents throughout the region. Over 12,000 homes have been documented to date and some think Dearborn could reach 20,000.
Resident should continue to take photos and document damage to report to their local authorities for assistance. I encourage you to move valuables and appliances to higher ground as storm warnings continue throughout the area.
Every day, I have continued conversations with the White House, FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers, and Congressional leadership to get our communities the help they need, both in the near-term and the long-term. I spent time talking to residents who are tired, frustrated, and angry, and quite frankly, they have every right to be.
Although we think these tragedies are once-in-a-lifetime events, the truth is—they’re not and their becoming increasingly regular. We have a lot of work ahead of us as we rebuild from these floods and prevent them from causing destruction ever again.
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In Michigan, we have made huge strides in getting people vaccinated, but there’s still a long way to go to encourage more people to get this life-saving vaccine. On Monday, Michigan reported 5,053,370, 62.4 percent, Michiganders over 16 have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccinations have slowed down, not because of a lack of supply, but because of a lack of demand.
The pandemic is not over. Variants, including the more severe Delta variant, are continuing to spread through communities. We have to help people overcome their fear of getting vaccinated. I was admittedly scared to get mine, but I overcame my fear and I’m better off because of it. If more people don’t get vaccinated, we could be in store for another surge as fall approaches, and that should scare all of us more than getting vaccinated.
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Advanced payments of the Child Tax Credit, authorized in the American Rescue Plan, are coming to millions of American families this week—including 39,000 households right here in Michigan’s 12th Congressional District. Beginning Thursday, July 15 eligible families will begin receiving monthly payment of up to $300 per child to help families put food on the table and make childcare more accessible.
Families should visit https://bit.ly/36okawo to check their enrollment status and update their banking information.
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Join me Tuesday, July 13 at 7pm ET, for a virtual town hall on issues impacting the Downriver Riverfront area. Rep. Dingell will be joined by area leaders to discuss Downriver Riverfront environmental issues & infrastructure. Special guests include: - Khalil Rahal, Assistant County Executive of Wayne County
- Mayor Steve Rzeppa of Trenton
- Superivsor Andy Linko of Brownstown Township
- Mayor Rob DeSana of Wyandotte
- Grosse Ile Township Trustee Carl Bloetscher
- Doug Drysdale & Jeffrey Dobek From the City of Riverview
- Jim Perry, Executive Director of Downriver Community Conference
- Ron Hinrichs, President & CEO of Southern Wayne County Regional Chamber
- Ben Felton, Senior Vice President of DTE
- Nick Zager with the Army Corps of Engineers
- Michael Samhat, President of Crowne Enterprises
- Brian Kelly with EPA
- Susan White with the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge
- Mary Bohling with the Downriver Linked Greenways & Michigan Sea Grant
- Robert Burns with Friends of the Detroit River
- Ed Nam, Director of Land, Chemicals and Redevelopment Division at EPA
- Representatives from EGLE
- Representatives from EPA
Join the LIVE event on Zoom by registering here or live at 7pm ET on my Facebook page.
As always Michigan: stay safe, wear your masks when you should, give people their space, and wash those hands!
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Sincerely,
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Debbie Dingell Member of Congress
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P.S. You can share a story or contact me anytime about health care or other issues through my website. You can also receive real-time updates by following me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
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