When President Obama declared several parishes in Louisiana as federal disaster areas that meant the go ahead for federal money and support to lend in the effort to return lives back to normal.

When a federal disaster decree is issued the state is paid back 75% of what it spends to take care of life and property. Louisiana's congressional delegation says that the state can't afford to pay the 25% and that FEMA needs to up its funding ratio to 90% while the state shoulders only 10% of the burden.

These requests are not new following disasters. The difference is this, the 75% is the default amount the federal government will pay. To qualify for the 90% coverage it takes congressional action and this is the first step in getting this done.

This is going to be a phenomenal amount of money, and just when you consider the 25%, we can’t afford it.

The words of Louisiana Congressman Ralph Abraham. Congressman Abraham and other members of Louisiana's congressional delegation have submitted a forma request to FEMA to increase federal funding for the state's recovery.

Louisiana is hurting very badly. Lives have been lost, homes and businesses have been destroyed, and the recovery is going to be very, very long.

Remember South Louisiana is not the only part of the state that has been inundated with water this year. Earlier parts of northern Louisiana received record amounts of rainfall and they too encountered historical flooding. In all 49 Louisiana parishes have been declared federal disaster areas in 2016. Abraham, in his comments to the Louisiana Radio Network, says his hope is that this congressional action will ease the burden our state for flood recovery.

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