Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith delivers maiden speech

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WCBI) – In her maiden speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate, Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith called for more action on federal disaster assistance.

The Republican from Brookhaven spoke about the February tornado and flooding in the Mississippi Delta.

She said if the federal government had kept its promise, the Yazoo Backwater Area would not still be underwater – calling it bureaucratic red tape.

Hyde-Smith stressed the need, today, to approve emergency supplemental funding legislation for disaster recovery across the country.

“I am especially grateful for their willingness to consider expanding the scope of the legislation to address the 2019 natural disaster. Federal assistance alone will not solve all of the problems and a long road to recovery lies ahead. However, disaster supplemental legislation will provide a very important first step,” said Sen. Hyde-Smith.

President Trump declared a federal disaster area for the Delta flooding and Columbus tornado last month.

Individual assistance was denied.