House Interim Committee on Disaster Recovery appointed

(News release from the Missouri House of Representatives)

Missouri House Speaker Steven Tilley, R-Perryville, announced the creation of the House Interim Committee on Disaster Recovery in response to several recent natural disasters.


“With the flooding in southeast Missouri and the massive tornado that hit Joplin, the tornado in St. Louis and flooding in Southeast Missouri we need to know where we stand and what needs to be done to get Missourians back on their feet,” Speaker Tilley said. “This committee will be tasked with creating a plan and seeing what we in the legislature can do to help.”

The mission of the committee will be to assess whether a special legislative session is necessary to address the needs of Joplin and communities in Southeast Missouri. The committee must report its findings to Speaker Tilley by July 31. In addition, the committee will provide a report to the General Assembly by December 31 detailing long-term recovery strategies and how the state can be better prepared for future natural disasters.

Speaker Tilley has appointed Rep. Shane Schoeller, R-Willard, to serve as chairman of the committee. “I am honored to be chosen to chair the Committee on Disaster Recovery as we look into the impacts of disasters on Missourians and how to best help them move towards a brighter future sooner rather than later,” Schoeller said.

“While we do our best to have plans in place for the moments when tragedy strikes, the devastation in Joplin is one such event that could not have been foreseen in its impact and overall enormity,” said Schoeller. “As we begin to help rebuild this community we need to look thoroughly into the effects this tragedy will have on the families, businesses, faith and civic organizations who call Joplin home. We also must ensure the state has a plan in place to help rather than hinder the process for any Missouri community that is trying to rebuild after suffering the effects of a natural disaster.”