OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR -- NEWS RELEASE -- GOV. GREEN EXTENDS INVITATION FOR PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND FIRST LADY JILL BIDEN TO VISIT MAUI

Press Release

"The suffering experienced as a result of the fires on Maui is a tragic blow to our state and the people of Hawaiʻi. However, we have been uplifted by the outpouring of support we have received from across our communities, across the nation, and throughout the world.

"We are especially grateful to President Biden for his strong support and partnership. From the first hours of the tragedy, he has enabled us to respond with the full force of the resources we need. We've been in constant contact with the President and his team. Just six hours after submitting our official request, President Biden signed our major disaster declaration, allowing us to expeditiously mobilize with the full support of the federal government to aid our community. To date, we have received massive help from the FEMA, the U.S Small Business Administration, and virtually every other key federal partner.

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in consultation with our experts on the ground who are managing search and recovery operations, we have humbly asked the President to visit Hawai"i on Monday, August 21. Relief professionals have indicated that this is a point when a majority of our search and recovery efforts should be nearly complete, and a time when extra presence will not hamper disaster management efforts.

We are thankful for the outpouring of support and aloha that Maui has received -- and we are united as a nation in providing every support and resource we have, to the victims of the Lāhainā fires."

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