Rep. Crane Supports Flood Recovery Efforts and Advances Priorities for Rural Arizona

As the 119th Congress draws to a close, Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) remains focused on serving the people of Arizona’s Second Congressional District. Over the past few months, he has introduced and supported legislation to advance the priorities of rural communities. In the aftermath of the recent floods, Rep. Crane and his staff have been on the ground throughout the region. From Prescott to Kayenta, they have connected with law enforcement, first responders, and community leaders to survey damage and assess immediate needs. This morning, he visited Camp Verde, one of the hardest-hit areas in the state, to meet with key personnel. Earlier this week, Rep. Crane also sat down with Flagstaff Mayor Becky Daggett and City Manager Joanne Keene . Their discussion covered storm recovery, plans for Big Fill Lake, and ongoing work to prioritize the Rio de Flag project with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). The long-planned initiative would reduce flood risk in downtown Flagstaff and around Northern Arizona University. Much of the disaster assistance provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires a major disaster declaration under the Stafford Act . Securing one begins with damage assessments conducted by local, state, and Tribal officials alongside FEMA. If the losses exceed what the state or Tribe can handle, its Governor or Tribal Chief Executive may request a declaration. The President then decides whether to grant it. Although Members of Congress cannot initiate the process, Rep. Crane is using the tools at his disposal to support those affected. He is in active communication with FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton , and his team remains in close contact with the office of Governor Katie Hobbs , Tribal leadership, and local partners. Assessments are still in their early stages. Should a request move forward, he will press for its swift approval. Constituents in need of help can find official updates and safety guidance on the Arizona Emergency Information Network’s November 2026 Storms page. County-specific resources are listed in Rep. Crane’s previous release. For questions about next steps, residents can reach the Prescott District Office at (928) 286-5338 or the D.C. Office at (202) 225-3361. Click on the images below to see more: Given how much of the West is federally owned, many rural counties have a harder time meeting FEMA’s criteria for a major disaster declaration. In October, Rep. Crane introduced the Rural Disaster Fairness Act of 2026 to address this issue. His bill would make it easier for counties with limited taxable land to secure federal aid. Because federal property is exempt from local taxes, these counties often have smaller budgets for maintaining infrastructure, responding to emergencies, and rebuilding. FEMA’s county per capita indicator does not reflect this reality. The benchmark compares estimated public assistance damages to population, but it ignores how much revenue a jurisdiction can raise. A county can therefore face serious financial strain and still fail to qualify. Under Rep. Crane’s bill, FEMA would cut the indicator’s threshold in half for any county that can levy property taxes on less than 15 percent of its land. This change would apply nationwide and more accurately capture the true toll a disaster takes on these counties. In turn, they would have a fairer shot at relief. Click on the image below to see more: While that reform centers on recovery, Rep. Crane is working just as hard to strengthen flood protection before the next storm hits. He supported the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026 , which cleared the House in September by an overwhelmingly bipartisan 415-9 vote. The legislation would authorize Corps projects across the country, from ports and harbors to inland waterways. Arizona secured several wins in this year’s version. Rep. Crane backed a new flood-control authorization for Dudleyville in Pinal County. He also helped make three more sites eligible for Corps funding, including McCormick Wash in Globe. Together, they would better protect homes, businesses, and emergency access from high water. Local water and wastewater systems stand to benefit too, with $54 million in environmental infrastructure authorizations for Cottonwood, Gila County, the Gila River Indian Community, and the City of Maricopa. WRDA would raise the investment cap for existing programs in Flagstaff and Winslow. Beyond these provisions, Rep. Crane pushed for language directing the Corps to move faster on four Arizona projects already on the books. Click on the image below to see more: Reliable electricity is another pressing need in rural Arizona, where the federal government has operated a utility for decades. Congress created the San Carlos Irrigation Project (SCIP) in 1924 to irrigate land on the Gila River Indian Reservation and nearby areas. The project later added a hydroelectric plant at Coolidge Dam, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs extended service across roughly 2,400 square miles. Today, about 10,000 residential customers depend on SCIP, and many have endured frequent outages and rising bills. With generation at the dam halted since a 1983 flood, the system now relies on short-term deals and the day-ahead market for power. Bureaucratic procedures make long-term contracts difficult to obtain. Some facilities are also more than 80 years old, and SCIP cannot issue bonds to upgrade them. Ratepayers ultimately bear these costs. After hearing from constituents whose livelihoods have suffered, Rep. Crane asked the Department of the Interior’s Office of Inspector General to investigate SCIP in September 2025. The inquiry had yet to produce meaningful findings, so he partnered with affected families, Tribal leaders, and utility providers to draft the San Carlos Irrigation Project Divestiture Act of 2026 . Introduced last month, the bill would transfer SCIP’s transmission and distribution lines, excluding Coolidge Dam and its generating facilities, to operators better positioned to invest in them. A plan developed with federal, state, Tribal, local, and private stakeholders would guide the handoff. The legislation would also waive a provision from a 1991 law that has kept the system in government hands since an earlier divestiture deadline passed in 1992. Click on the image below to see more: Throughout his tenure, Rep. Crane has worked to close gaps in the care available to Native veterans, who experience some of the highest homelessness rates in the nation. The Tribal HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) demonstration program aims to reduce these numbers. It provides rental assistance and case management to veterans who are homeless or at risk. Although the program has helped many find stable housing, it lacks a clear way for Tribes to return vouchers they cannot use or secure additional ones. Resources can sit unused in one community while veterans in another go without. To correct this, Rep. Crane teamed up with Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS) on the bipartisan Tribal Veterans Voucher Flexibility Act . The bill would require the Department of Housing and Urban Development to create a voluntary process for reallocating surplus vouchers. Tribes could give back any they do not expect to need, while others facing a shortage could request more. Releasing vouchers would not count against a Tribe in future allocations. Rep. Crane believes this approach makes the most of existing support and avoids growing the size of government. Click on the image below to see more: Alongside his legislative work, Rep. Crane’s office helps cut through federal red tape. Since January 2023, his team has resolved 4,017 cases and recovered more than $12 million for constituents. These funds are not new spending. Rather, they reflect delayed or stalled payments Arizonans were already owed, such as tax refunds, retirement and disability benefits, and veterans’ compensation. Rep. Crane can contact agencies, including the IRS, Social Security Administration, and Department of Veterans Affairs, on behalf of those he serves. His caseworkers check on claims, catch paperwork errors, and follow up until there is an answer. They cannot override an agency’s decision, but they push for a fair and timely review. Because the district covers a large portion of Arizona, staff have held 232 mobile office hours to bring these services closer to home. Anyone seeking assistance can start a case online or call the Prescott District Office at (928) 286-5338. Privacy law generally requires written consent before records can be shared, so a signed release form is needed. Click on the image below to see more: “To everyone impacted by the devastating floods, we stand with you and will pursue all available avenues of support. Please reach out to my team with any questions during the recovery. We’re here to help,” said Rep. Crane . “While I’m grateful for the progress we’ve made with our partners, I know there is much more work to do. Whether we’re addressing disaster relief, federal lands, water, energy, or the many other issues facing our state, I will continue to use my voice, vote, and platform to fight for your interests. It’s the privilege of a lifetime to represent the incredible people of Arizona’s Second Congressional District.”