Since the enactment in 1953 of a federal disaster relief act, presidents have been authorized to issue declarations that provide states with federal assistance in response to natural and man-made incidents. But the president ultimately has the authority to approve or reject a disaster aid request regardless whether the criteria are met. “I am writing to respectfully request your reconsideration,” State Senator Andreas Borgeas, a Republican, wrote Mr. Trump in a letter on Friday. The Creek Fire, which ravaged parts of Mr. Borgeas’s district, “caused unprecedented damage during these most unprecedented times,” he said. “California’s economy is suffering in a way we have not seen since the 2009 Great Recession,” he said in the request, which came in the form of a letter to Mr. Trump.

Source: New York Times October 16, 2020 11:14 UTC