Rep. Greg Steube Joins Senator Rick Scott to Survey Sarasota County Damages in Wake of Milton
Urges Chuck Schumer to Schedule Vote on Disaster Tax Relief
SARASOTA — U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) joined Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) today to survey damages in Sarasota County in the wake of Hurricane Milton.
Watch Rep. Steube’s remarks here.
After viewing the damages, Rep. Steube said, “It’s heartbreaking to see people who started to recover – we just went through St. Armands after Hurricane Helene came through with a 5-7 foot storm surge. You see people pulling products out and trying to clean up, and then two weeks later, we get hit again.”
The Senator and Congressman were shown the damages that Hurricane Milton inflicted on Sarasota County by Police Chief Rex Troche, Officer Michael Skinner and Officer Ron Dixon of the Sarasota Police Department Marine Unit, and Mayor Liz Alpert.
Rep. Steube discussed the federal response, saying, “Like Senator Scott said, we’re doing whatever we can to ensure FEMA and the federal government is playing their role in all of this.”
Rep. Steube discussed the urgent need for the U.S. Senate to pass his legislation, The Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act, saying,“Senator Scott and I have a bill together. We passed it in the House. We call on Chuck Schumer to bring the Federal Disaster Tax Relief bill to the floor. I filed it after Ian, it’s been over 2 years now. It would allow any American who has suffered from a presidentially-declared disaster to deduct their expenses from their taxes…it sits in the Senate. All Chuck Schumer has to do is bring it up to the floor for a vote, and then send it to the President’s desk. We ask him to do that.”
Rep. Steube led 57 bipartisan House colleagues this week in demanding Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer bring his bill, the Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act, to the floor immediately for a vote. The bill delivers long-awaited tax relief for the victims of 300+ federally designated disasters including Hurricanes Ian, Milton, Helene, Idalia, and Debby, the Maui Fires, and the East Palestine Train Derailment. Read the letter here.
Congressman Steube joined the Florida delegation today in urging the White House to approve the State of Florida’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration following Hurricane Milton. Read the letter here.
Visit Rep. Steube’s hurricane recovery webpage for the most updated recovery resources available for residents in FL-17. FEMA and SBA application information will be posted on the Congressman’s website when available.
