After FEMA denies aid for August storms, LaHood asks for reconsideration and a House Democrat proposes state relief

The federal government has turned down Illinois’ request for disaster aid after severe storms in August, and two Illinois officials are now trying to get money to the communities that were hit, one from Washington and one from Springfield.^{1, 2}

U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, a Republican from Dunlap, wrote to President Donald Trump and the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Friday asking them to reconsider, 25 News Now reported.¹ State Rep. Anthony DeLuca, a Democrat from Chicago Heights, has filed a bill that would use the state’s rainy day fund to help counties still recovering, WAND News reported.²

The storms and the request

Storms between mid-July and mid-August brought tornadoes, damaging winds and flooding to the south suburbs and central Illinois, Capitol News Illinois reported in September.³ On Aug. 11, the National Weather Service recorded tornadoes and wind gusts approaching 100 mph in southern Cook and Will counties.³ Two days later, storms caused heavy wind damage in McLean County, where the Normal Fire Department set a record for calls in a 24-hour shift.³

Gov. JB Pritzker asked FEMA in September for a presidential major disaster declaration covering Champaign, Cook, Ford, Fulton, McLean, Tazewell, Vermilion and Will counties.^{1, 3} An approval would have opened FEMA programs that help residents and businesses and reimburse governments for debris removal and repairs, according to Capitol News Illinois.³

LaHood’s appeal

“McLean County is among the counties that met FEMA’s local damage threshold,” LaHood wrote, according to 25 News Now.¹ Local officials in McLean County reported about $42.5 million in damage, he said.¹

LaHood urged FEMA to weigh how concentrated the damage was in the hardest-hit communities and to do any further assessments that could show its full extent, the station reported.¹ He wrote that the burden on local and state agencies makes a “compelling” case for federal help.¹

A state alternative

DeLuca told WAND that he began talking with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency about funding before the denial and drafted language for a state plan in case FEMA said no.² His bill would let the agency write emergency rules for a grant program paid for from the budget stabilization fund, the state’s rainy day fund.²

Local governments in 15 counties would be eligible: Alexander, Champaign, Cook, DuPage, Ford, Fulton, Kane, Lake, LaSalle, Marshall, McLean, Pulaski, Tazewell, Vermilion and Will.² Towns could choose to use the money to reimburse individual homeowners, DeLuca said.²

“We had complete devastation like we hadn’t seen, and it came repeatedly,” DeLuca told the station.² He said he expects bipartisan support, adding, “There is nothing partisan about a tornado coming through and creating damage regardless of the area.”²

What comes next

DeLuca called the bill one of his top priorities for the fall veto session, which begins Nov. 17.² The General Assembly is scheduled to meet only three days in November and three in December, WAND reported.²

FEMA denied Illinois’ two previous disaster requests, both in 2025, Capitol News Illinois reported.³