ICYMI: Sullivan Brings Senior Federal Officials to Storm-Ravaged Western Alaska Villages

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), along with Alaska state, local and tribal leaders, led a group of senior federal officials to Western Alaska last weekend to survey the villages hardest hit by the remnants of Typhoon Halong. Officials participating in the visit included Eric Ueland, deputy director of the White House Office of Management and Budget; Karen Evans, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) chief of staff; Kara Voorhies, senior advisor to the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); Dillon McGregor, assistant secretary for the DHS Office of Legislative Affairs; Vince Maykovich, FEMA Region 10 administrator; Willie Nunn, FEMA Type 1 federal coordinating officer; Rear Admiral Bob Little, commander of the U.S. Coast Guard's Arctic District; Captain Christopher Culpepper, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Sector Western Alaska and the U.S. Arctic; and Denise Everhart, American Red Cross Pacific Division disaster executive.

Click here for photos from the delegation's visit.

"It's one thing to receive a PowerPoint briefing in D.C. about a disaster taking place thousands of miles away. It's quite another experience to be on the ground, walking through a devastated community, speaking with the people who've lost so much," said Sen. Sullivan. "That was my objective in bringing senior White House, Homeland Security, FEMA, military and Coast Guard officials to some of the hardest hit villages in Western Alaska last weekend. What we saw was severe, widespread damage to vital infrastructure, airports, boardwalks, homes, and other buildings. But we also saw incredible resilience among the people-Alaskans helping one another in their time of need, clearing debris and making repairs where possible in time for the fast-approaching winter weather. I want to once again commend the Coast Guard, Alaska National Guard, and local crews who conducted the immediate search-and-rescue missions and who continue to move goods and people-including our own delegation-to and from these communities. And, I want to thank the countless local, tribal, non-profit and state leaders who facilitated this important visit, giving me and these officials thorough insights on what these communities have been through and what they will need to recover over the near- and longer-term. Our objective now is to make sure our federal government matches the strength we all saw in Western Alaska with the action, resources, and urgency Alaskans here expect."

Alaska officials participating in the visit included Natasha Singh, president and CEO of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium; Vivian Korthuis, CEO of the Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP); Alaska State Senator Lyman Hoffman; Alaska State Representative Nellie Jimmie; Alaska State Representative Bryce Edgmon; Myron Naneng, Sr., member of the Calista Corporation Board of Directors; Lucy Martin, Native Village of Kwigillingok; Rose "Sugar" Henderson, mayor of the City of Bethel; Dan Winkelman, CEO of the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation; and Major General Torrence Saxe, adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard.

The visit follows President Trump's approval last week of Governor Mike Dunleavy's (R-Alaska) request for a federal disaster declaration in response to the widespread devastation throughout the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region. Sen. Sullivan personally asked President Trump to expedite the approval of this emergency declaration, which he did. In addition to approving the governor's request, President Trump also announced $25 million in disaster relief funding to expeditiously cover initial recovery expenses as the state conducts damage and cost assessments, which will result in further federal relief funds.

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