Text of Letter (PDF)

BOSTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) joined Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Congressman Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL), and Congressman Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) on a letter with 19 colleagues to the House Appropriations Committee requesting that the upcoming fiscal year 2023 (FY23) continuing resolution (CR) provide $50 million above the enacted fiscal year 2022 (FY22) level to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) for humanitarian assistance to migrants.

The full letter follows:

Dear Chair Roybal-Allard and Ranking Member Fleischmann:

            As negotiations begin on the first fiscal year (FY) 2023 continuing resolution, we write to request that the bill provide $50 million above the enacted FY2022 level to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) for humanitarian assistance to migrants.

Since mid-April, the governors of Texas and Arizona have exploited and harmed approximately 10,000 vulnerable people fleeing desperate and dangerous situations in their home countries for political gain by busing them to D.C., New York City and Chicago. 

The EFSP provides federal funding for food, shelter and other necessities.  In FY 2022, Congress provided $150 million to this program for humanitarian assistance for migrants.  As of July 21, 2022, approximately $85 million of this funding remained available.  However, the busing of migrants to D.C., New York City and Chicago and resettlement in cities like Boston has increased funding requests across the Northeast and the Midwest.  Without additional funding, the EFSP may exhaust its funding. 

This funding would ensure that the EFSP can continue to provide humanitarian assistance to meet the needs of all migrants. 

Sincerely,

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