Today, Representative Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) released the following statement regarding Governor JB Pritzker’s declaration of a state of emergency in Edwardsville and the surrounding counties due to tornado damage.
A disaster proclamation grants the State of Illinois the ability to expedite the use of state resources, personnel, or equipment, and allows the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) to procure additional resources to help communities recover from the storms.
“While I am disgusted with many in the political arena who immediately used this tragedy to push their climate change agenda while people were suffering, I am glad that the proclamation has finally been signed. I will continue to work with state and local officials to ensure that – once funds are brought to the table – there is accountability for how they are allocated and spent. The people impacted by these devastating storms need and deserve help as quickly as we can get it to them. I will also be working with local partners to discuss the path forward for our communities, both this year and for the long haul.”