Will President Obama Visit Parts of Texas Ravaged By Wildfires?

President Obama will visit Texas next week. His schedule calls for him to deliver a speech on immigration reform in El Paso and then attend a fundraiser in Austin.

Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn, both republicans, have invited President Obama to tour fire – damaged regions during his visit to Texas.

Earlier this week the President turned down Governor Perry’s request for a major disaster declaration for the areas of our state ravaged by the devastating fires.

No word yet from the White House on whether President Obama will accept the invitation to tour the area. He will see homes lost, land scorched and hear stories from property owners who have been devastated.

I’ve posted the full news release from Senators Hutchison and Cornyn.

 

News Release:

Sens. Hutchison, Cornyn Invite President To Tour Fire-Damaged Regions During Upcoming Visit to Texas

 

WASHINGTON— U.S. Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn, R-Texas, today sent the following letter to President Barack Obama inviting him to tour areas of Texas devastated by wildfires during his upcoming visit to the state. The White House has announced the President will visit Texas next week for a fundraising event in Austin and an event related to immigration in El Paso. The Senators hope President Obama will accept their invitation to see the fire damage firsthand and reconsider his recent denial of the State’s request for a federal disaster declaration.

Sens. Hutchison and Cornyn wrote, “We are hopeful that after seeing this devastation firsthand, you will reconsider your recent denial and provide the State and localities with the vital resources and funding required to fully support their work.”

May 6, 2011

 

The President

The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Obama:

We are writing to invite you to tour areas of Texas recently devastated by wildfires during your announced visit to the State next week.

We have written to you and your Administration on numerous occasions regarding our constituents and their struggle to combat and control the wildfires that have engulfed large portions of Texas.  The importance of issuing a federal disaster declaration at the state of Texas’ request in order to reduce the burden these wildfires have imposed on our constituents and communities cannot be overstated.    

We were disappointed to learn that your Administration denied the State’s request for federal assistance considering that over 7,000 individual wildfires have burned more than 2.2 million acres this year alone.  This has resulted in the destruction of homes, businesses, farms and ranches, and the death of two brave firefighters. 

Therefore, we invite you to tour fire-stricken areas and meet with the brave firefighters and other personnel working to stop the advance of the wildfires and save lives. We believe that a tour will reinforce the severity of the damage and threat that the wildfires pose to our State and constituents.  We are hopeful that after seeing this devastation firsthand, you will reconsider your recent denial and provide the State and localities with the vital resources and funding required to fully support their work.

Thank you in advance for your consideration of this request.  We look forward to hearing from you. 

Sincerely,

KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON                                                            JOHN CORNYN

United States Senator                                                                          United States Senator