HOEVEN: FEDERAL EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE BY FEMA EN ROUTE

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Continuing his push for a Presidential Disaster Declaration, Senator John Hoeven today was told by Federal Emergency Management Agency Region 8 Administrator Robin Finegan that an agency Incident Management Team (IMAT) is on its way to Fargo and that federal resources are ready to go pending a decision by the White House on the state's request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration.

Finegan said a 26-member team is currently en route and should arrive in Fargo within 24 hours. The Coast Guard is already in the state and other agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have personnel and equipment staged and prepared to be deployed pending action by the White House.

To press for a decision, Hoeven this morning contacted the White House, and yesterday asked FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to help expedite presidential approval at a meeting in Hoeven's office.

"Today, we made clear in no uncertain terms to both the White House and FEMA that we need a prompt decision to trigger resources the community says it needs and FEMA says are already staged and ready to go," Hoeven said."