WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 -- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse issued the following press release:
Despite the fact that a historic February 2026 blizzard met and surpassed the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) threshold for federal assistance, the Trump Administration on Wednesday rejected appeals from Rhode Island and other 'Blue states' that requested a Major Disaster Declaration.
Between February 22-23, 2026, Rhode Island was struck by a record-breaking blizzard that dumped 37.9 inches of snow in a 24-hour period and the state experienced wind gusts of 74 miles per hour. The winter storm hit Rhode Island with the intensity of a Category 2 hurricane, caused severe power outages for tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders, and tragically result...