Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) released the following statement today in regards to the announcement by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that it will expand guidelines for applying the Mortgage and Rental Assistance Program (MRA) in New York City and will review all previously denied cases using the expanded guidelines.

"Today, we've scored a double victory with FEMA.  The announcement that the MRA program guidelines will be expanded comes as a result of the efforts of myself and other Members of the delegation in consultations with Director Allbaugh. The expansion of the program is, simply, the sensible thing to do.  New York is unlike any other locale in the nation, and the attacks were different than any other disaster, so it's only natural that FEMA use these appropriate standards in reviewing the economic impact on New York from the Sept. 11th attacks, and put their full resources behind the City's recovery effort.

FEMA should be commended for this decision, as well as their decision to pay for environmental cleanups of schools from fallout from the collapse of the World Trade Center.  Just yesterday, the Board of Education made the decision to take advantage of the FEMA offer in cleaning Stuyvesant High School, and I'm confident that they will review the need of other schools to be cleaned and do that as necessary."

Rep. Nadler has served in Congress since 1992.  He represents the 8th Congressional District of New York, which includes parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, including the site where the World Trade Center once stood.