U.S. Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., visited Hope Airport Saturday afternoon in support of homeless tornado victims from Dumas, Ark., to receive federal aid and shelter. ‘I’m here at the Hope Airport where there are brand new, fully furnished trailers to be used during disaster situations,’ said Ross, who reminded media that the tornados in Dumas were worthy of an Arkansas state declaration of disaster and a deployment by the National Guard. Some 9,000 trailers owned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency are stored at Hope Airport, less than a three-hour drive from Dumas and Desha County where tornado victims are without homes. ‘It has been one week since the tornadoes hit and not one employee from FEMA, not one, has stepped foot in Desha County,’ Ross said. Ross was critical of President Bush and FEMA and said the federal government has been slow to declare a disaster in tornado-struck eastern Arkansas. ‘My heart goes out to the people in Alabama and Georgia who were just hit by more deadly tornadoes, but FEMA must not forget Desha County, where last Saturday, more than 150 homes were destroyed or received heavy damage and 800 people are now […]