How A Federal Disaster Declaration Can Help Texas Combat Pandemic

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had asked the Trump administration for help in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. The administration granted Texas a disaster declaration Wednesday afternoon.

By Jill AmentMarch 25, 2020 2:37 pm, ,

The radio interview in the player above was recorded before the Trump administration granted Texas a major disaster declaration. That update is reflected in the digital story below.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has been urging the Trump administration to grant Texas a major disaster declaration in order to make available federal aid to help with the coronavirus pandemic. The administration already declared disasters for New York, California, and Washington. Federal disaster money helps make Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, resources available to the state, and it can also go toward unemployment benefits and more.

Houston Chronicle reporter Jeremy Wallace has been covering Abbott’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and said the state is in “uncharted territory,” especially when it comes to relying on FEMA for large-scale medical assistance.

By Wednesday afternoon, Trump granted Texas a major disaster declaration.

What you’ll hear in this segment:

– What type of federal aid Abbott was seeking

– What assistance the Trump administration has granted to other states, and what that could mean for Texas

– How Texas’ COVID-19 testing capabilities compare with those of states that have already received federal disaster aid

 

Written by Morgan Kuehler.