In the wake of destructive weather that ripped through parts of Tennessee, Governor Bill Lee is calling on the federal government for assistance. According to the official Tennessee government website, Lee has formally requested a Major Disaster Declaration from President Joe Biden, specifically targeting aid for the counties hammered by severe weather and tornadoes on May 8 and 9.

The appeal, if approved, could funnel federal support through the Individual Assistance and Public Assistance programs to a dozen counties that are now mired in the aftermath of the storms which were marked by tornadoes, large hail, punishing winds, and even deadly flooding, with three lives lost in Maury County alone, as per the Tennessee Department of Military. Governor Lee voiced that "Federal disaster assistance will bring much-needed economic relief and resources to help our communities and fellow Tennesseans recover from the devastation of these storms," the necessity for assistance is underlined by the tens of thousands left without power and significant structural and environmental damage they’re facing.

The proposed aid includes FEMA's Individual Assistance program, potentially aiding affected residents with rental support, home repairs, and reimbursement for personal property losses that were not covered by insurance, this program, however, tops out at $42,500, which, while stabilizing, cannot wholly replenish what the storms have stripped away.