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WASHINGTON, D.C. (WGNO) – Gov. John Bel Edwards was on Capitol Hill today, asking Congress to approve an additional $2 billion for recovery efforts following Louisiana’s devastating floods.

Edwards spoke before a House subcommittee, telling members of Congress that the money “is a necessary step to rebuilding Louisiana.”

“Simply put, we cannot recover without it,” he said.

A rare rain event last month dropped 7 trillion gallons of rain in South Louisiana, flooding more than 100,000 homes and killing 13 people. First responders had to rescue people from about 30,000 homes. At the peak of the flood, 11,000 people were housed in shelters, Edwards told Congress.

FEMA announced today that $1 billion has been spent so far on flood recovery efforts here.