On August 10, 2020 an unusually powerful storm known as a derecho destroyed large portions of Iowa.  Straight-line wind speeds were clocked at over 115mph - a strength that would make this storm a Category 2 or 3 hurricane in coastal regions.  Thousands of Iowans remain without power days after the storm, and some estimates say it could be weeks before power is completely restored.  Crops have been decimated and flattened to the point that the damage is visible via satellite.  Homes have been completely destroyed - people have truly lost everything to this storm.

To add insult to injury, there has been almost NO national coverage of this storm and the widespread devastation it has caused.  The lack of national attention and the lack of a federal emergency declaration makes accessing many insurance benefits impossible.  

This petition is to urge Iowa's Governor and Congressional delegation to put pressure on FEMA to declare the counties in Iowa affected by the derecho to be federal disaster areas.  This will allow people and businesses to access insurance benefits and begin to rebuild.  Thank you.