Hagedorn Backs Declaration

Congressman Jim Hagedorn of southern Minnesota and the entire Minnesota congressional delegation have sent a letter to President Donald Trump, urging the administration to approve the state of Minnesota’s request for a major disaster declaration because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Minnesota’s health care facilities are confronting a lack of needed supplies and limited capacity, which will be exacerbated by a limited number of qualified medical staff that is expected to decrease further as the pandemic continues to spread,” the group wrote. “At the same time, the state’s economy has been dramatically impacted by this crisis, with approximately 300,000 applications for unemployment having been filed since the pandemic’s onset, and businesses small and large facing sharp declines in revenues.”

The delegation asked that Trump issue an expedited major disaster declaration that will allow the state to access more federal aid for nutrition, medical care, crisis counseling, funeral services and Small Business aid, among other things.