Schmitt Statement One Year After St. Louis Tornado

U.S. SENATE – Today U.S Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) released the following statement ahead of the one year anniversary of the tornado that hit St. Louis. “One year ago today, St. Louis was forever changed by a devastating tornado that stole the lives of five Missourians, upended hundreds of families, and left lasting scars in communities throughout our city. One year later, the pain of that day is still fresh—but so is the determination to rebuild. I could not be prouder to see St. Louisans rally together with the common goal of supporting each other. I know that only together—we will recover,” said Senator Eric Schmitt. Since the storm, I’ve been working hand and glove with Mayor Spencer, Governor Kehoe, and the Trump administration to secure critical resources to help St. Louis. We’ve made meaningful progress—but there’s still work to be done, and I look forward to continuing these partnerships to help make these communities whole again.” Background: Senator Schmitt was the first member of the federal delegation to tour the devastation and advocated directly with President Trump and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles for St. Louis to receive federal support that same weekend. On May 21, 2025 Senator Schmitt sent a letter to President Trump, requesting immediate action on Governor Mike Kehoe’s disaster declarations for the storm that touched down in St. Louis on May 16. Read the full letter Senator Schmitt led HERE. Senator Schmitt pushed for the approval of these declarations, and on June 9, it was announced that President Trump approved a Major Disaster Declaration for Missouri, unlocking critical federal resources. Read the release HERE. On August 1, 2025, Senator Schmitt led the entire Missouri federal congressional delegation in a letter to FEMA writing in support for private property debris removal assistance. Read the full letter Senator Schmitt led HERE. Senator Schmitt followed up on that letter with direct advocacy with the Trump Administration for St. Louis to receive a mission, and on September 18th, Senator Schmitt secured a debris removal mission, estimated to include $180 million in federal funding alongside technical assistance from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Read the release Senator Schmitt led HERE. Senator Schmitt remained, and continues to remain, in close communication with the Trump Administration, the Governor’s Office, and the Mayor’s Office throughout the review process to advocate for St. Louis to receive debris removal assistance. Senator Schmitt has also been in contact with Mayor Spencer and has met with the Trump Administration on multiple occasions to advocate for a potential U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant Disaster Relief allocation. ###