Senate Republican Leader McConnell visits Mayfield, Ky., discusses new bill

MAYFIELD, Ky. (KBSI) – U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) visited Community Financial Services Bank in Mayfield, Ky. on Thursday to discuss the Fiscal Year 2022 Government Funding bill.

The bill will significantly reduce the strain on Kentucky communities recovering from recent natural disasters, including the December 2021 tornado outbreak.

As part of the bill, communities will only be required to cover 10 percent of response and rebuilding costs, a reduction from the previous 25 percent. In addition, the Department of Housing and Urban Development will provide Kentucky with $74,953,000 through the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program.

Senator McConnell secured these extra resources after touring damaged areas and hearing directly from Kentuckians about the need for additional help from the federal government.

“The first thing local officials were concerned about was that after a brief period of time, 25 percent of the match required for a lot of federal money was not going to be possible to raise here locally,” he said.

The recovery process is just that: a process. But it will be resiliency that prevails in communities like Mayfield.

“These are my people, but it’s not just me. It’s the entire community,” Mayfield Mayor Kathy O’Nan said. “These are the most resilient people I have ever met.”

“This is part of nature, and a part that raised a lot of distress, but it brings out the best in people, too,” Senator McConnell said. “People are upbeat and optimistic and on the way back, and rebuilding. That’s what we always do in this country.”

O’Nan had little doubt the people of Mayfield will stick together.

“We may fight like cats and dogs on Facebook, but when it comes to helping our neighbors, these people stand strong,” she said.