10 Important Questions for CenterPoint

My Message to My Friend, Donald Trump

President Trump Picked His VP

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On Thursday, I requested Individual Assistance (IA) from FEMA for 15 eligible counties, and it was approved on Friday, with two more counties approved since. Qualifying Texans in the following counties are eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program: Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Orange, Polk, San Jacinto, Walker, and Wharton. Texans who live in these fifteen counties can apply for FEMA disaster assistance online at disasterassistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362.

Additional counties may be requested for federal assistance following the completion of damage assessments required by federal law and regulations. Texans are encouraged to report damage caused by Hurricane Beryl using the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT) online survey by visiting damage.tdem.texas.gov.
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10 Important Questions for CenterPoint

For various reasons, the storm had a heavier impact than most CAT 1 storms. Trees were knocked down everywhere, often taking power lines with them. Texans understand that.

However, roughly a million homes and businesses should not be without power this long after. CenterPoint's public communications have failed to instill confidence, and their customer phone lines are ineffective.

CenterPoint must be ready for any Gulf storm that could hit Houston, no matter what the forecast says. At the state level, we were well prepared no matter where it landed. We expected the worst and prayed for the best.

People have a right to be extremely frustrated with CenterPoint. People are suffering through terribly oppressive heat, a lack of food and gasoline availability, debris everywhere, and much more. The poor and most vulnerable are suffering the most.

Once they finally get the power back on, here are the questions on the minds of their customers and me:

1. Is this a new and different CenterPoint than in the past?
2. Did they cut corners before the storm?
3. Are they cutting corners now?
4. Were they prepared for the storm hitting Houston?
5. Did they take the storm seriously?
6. What is their mission statement?
7. Are they too focused on their other businesses?
8. Do they need more full-time staff?
9. Will their response to the next storm be better?
10. Most importantly, are Houston and surrounding areas still IMPORTANT to CenterPoint? Are their customers their number one priority in their mission statement and future planning?

These are fair and legitimate questions. The Senate and I are committed to getting the answers. You can count on it.

Surveying the Damage in Some of the Hardest Hit Counties

On Tuesday, the day after the Hurricane, I left our Austin Emergency Operations Center to survey the damage in some of the hardest-hit counties. I visited Galveston County for a briefing with local officials, where Senator Ted Cruz and State Senator Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, joined us. I traveled to Bryan-College Station for a briefing and to visit a huge staging site for our state emergency management operation and finished my day in Houston.

On Wednesday, I took a helicopter to survey a large part of the state where Hurricane Beryl had left extensive damage.

I started in Bay City in Matagorda County, where the storm made landfall, and Senator Joan Huffman, R-Houston, joined me.

We then flew along the coast and over Sargent to see the damage from the storm.

I ended the day in Jasper for a briefing with local officials and Senator Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville.

That area was hit with multiple tornadoes that ripped trees apart, leveled them to the ground, and damaged or destroyed an estimated 50-60 homes.

I am always inspired by the incredible work our local counties and cities do in times of disaster. They work together as one, and their citizen volunteer armies jump into action to help the elderly and the vulnerable and begin the work of rebuilding on day one.

Everywhere we went this week, the local officials applauded the work of Chief Nim Kidd of our Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) and his staff. There was not one need that had not already been filled by the state or would be very soon. Texas has the best emergency response team in the country. That’s not a bold statement—it’s a fact.

Visiting Our Resource Staging Area at NRG Arena

Documentation Proves President Biden Lied

The president has misled the people of Texas, the media, Gov. Abbott, and me. White House documentation shows the president ended the emergency declaration on the day he granted it. This means we would not be reimbursed for expenses incurred after the declaration ended.

Additionally, the president went back on his word by reducing our emergency request for 121 counties to just 67. This contradicts what was agreed upon in our initial phone call. However, we are committed to working with FEMA and the White House to ensure that Texans receive the federal aid they are entitled to.

The disaster declaration I requested for 121 counties.

The bottom line is this: President Biden lied about reaching out to me from day one, our declaration request, and the aid he said he would give Texas. We have a great relationship with the rank-and-file members of FEMA and the work they do here in Texas. Sadly, President Biden has politicized this important agency in Washington.

Texas Cops Helping Houston

On Thursday, I joined Houston Mayor John Whitmire, TDEM Chief Nim Kidd, and local law enforcement to announce our newest initiative, implemented by TDEM and myself to bring in law enforcement from across the state to work in tandem with local law enforcement when needed in disaster areas.

Officers from police departments across the state drove into Houston in their patrol cars to assist Houston PD. We have also positioned 80 state troopers in Houston to support the Houston Police and to keep their city safe during this time.

Thank you all for your support and everything you do to keep Texas red. May God bless you and your family, and may He continue to bless the greatest state of all—Texas.

Sincerely,

Dan Patrick

Dan Patrick
Lieutenant Governor of Texas

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"Whomever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant."
Matthew 20:26 (NLT)

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