Feds Give Mississippi Increased Flood Aid

The federal government is affirming it will pay 90 percent of the disaster recovery costs from tornadoes and floods that hit Mississippi in late April and early May.

U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran announced the federal share Thursday.

The usual cost-sharing plan is 75 percent from the federal government and 25 percent from state or local governments or from some nonprofit groups. The increased federal share could save the state millions of dollars.

Cochran is vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and is on a subcommittee that handles the FEMA budget.