Both U.S. senators from Texas are thanking President Donald Trump for aid sent to the state after this month’s deadly Hill Country floods, but are asking for more.
Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn sent a letter to Trump asking that he grant Gov. Greg Abbott’s major disaster declaration for 33 Texas counties affected by the July 12 floods that spanned several days and killed two people.
The flooding damaged nearly 600 homes across three Hill Country counties, killed at least two people and prompted more than 530 rescues, according to state officials. Preliminary damage estimates total $489.7 million.
“The governor and local officials have determined that the severity and magnitude of this incident exceed the response and recovery capabilities of the state and affected local governments.”
The letter comes after Trump granted an emergency declaration for Texas on July 18, which unlocked initial Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance.
The senators are asking for additional aid and relief measures, including:
- Authorizing Public Assistance and Direct Federal Assistance for the 33 counties included in the emergency declaration.
- Activating the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
- Activating the U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Program.
- Activating disaster-related tax relief through the Internal Revenue Service.
As the letter notes, many of the impacted communities, like Kerr County, are still recovering from the catastrophic July 2025 flooding that killed more than 130 people, with several of the counties included in this request sustaining damage in both events.
“We stand ready to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other relevant agencies to ensure a swift evaluation of this request and the prompt deployment of the resources Texans need to recover,” concluded the letter.
2026 Texas flooding damage
At a press conference on July 20, Abbott said he was told by officials that almost all rivers in the Hill Country reached record highs during the flood event and that the flooding in Kerrville, Texas, this year was worse than last year.
“Altogether, the state has rescued more than 530 people,” Abbott said.
As of July 20, two deaths have been reported.
Kerr, Kendall and Comal counties were hit the hardest during this year’s flooding event, Abbott said, with each experiencing the following damage:
- Kerr County — 490 damaged homes, including 135 heavily damaged or destroyed. About 100 businesses were also damaged.
- Kendall County — About 100 damaged homes, with the count expected to rise once Boerne, the county seat, completes its assessment.
- Comal County — Three damaged homes, though Abbott said the count may rise.
How to help Texas flood victims?
The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country has set up a flood relief fund — separate from the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund established following the July 2025 disaster.
Funds will help support nonprofit and civic organizations actively involved in response, relief and recovery efforts.
Rebuild Texas Fund has also been set up by the OneStar Foundation to help those affected, with 100% of donations reaching local organizations that provide essential recovery services, long-term rebuilding operations and infrastructure repair in Texas communities.
Leave a Reply