Krishnamoorthi, Khanna, Subramanyam Urge Secretary Rubio to Strengthen U.S. Response to Catastrophic Floods in Nepal

September 8, 2026 Press Release WASHINGTON — On Friday, Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Ro Khanna (CA-17), and Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), joined by 27 of their colleagues, in urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to use every available resource to support ongoing search-and-rescue efforts following the catastrophic flash floods in Nepal and to ensure the safety and recovery of American citizens and others affected by the disaster. As of September 4, the death toll from the flash floods had surpassed 1,300 people, and at least 4,000 people remained missing, including at least 75 U.S. citizens. “We support the Department’s announcement of $500,000 in assistance through its global award with Catholic Relief Services to support emergency shelter, relief items, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) assistance, as well as the $3.6 million in humanitarian assistance announced on August 29,” the lawmakers write. “Nonetheless, given the unprecedented loss of life and countless missing persons, we urge the Department to do much more.” The lawmakers requested that the State Department: Provide daily updates to family members of those missing and Congress as rescue efforts continue. Deploy a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to flood-affected communities. Coordinate with the interagency and private sector to utilize high-altitude assets and thermal/infrared drones to search for missing persons and share aerial imagery with partners. Engage Nepali and PRC disaster authorities and international partners to ensure full coverage and access across search areas. Ensure rapid delivery of disaster assistance and provide additional reconstruction support. Full text of the letter is available here .