ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOX) - Sen. Roy Blunt wants to raise the percentage of federal aid provided in the wake of the Joplin tornado.

On NBC this morning, Blunt discussed how he petitioned the federal government to raise the funds provided for Joplin cleanup efforts. He said FEMA initially offered to pay 75% of the cleanup with the local government paying the rest, but it was then raised to 90%.

“I’d like to see them get it up to a hundred,” Blunt said.

Blunt also defended House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s comments on cutting other programs in order to pay for relief in Joplin. Cantor has been criticized by Democrats for his comments, but Blunt said Cantor is right.

“We need to [provide relief], but we need to find savings to do this and everything else,” Blunt said. “We’re spending too much money at the federal level, but if we’re going to have FEMA, we have to be sure that FEMA has the resources to do its job.”

Blunt and former Missouri senator John Danforth have teamed up to create Joplin Tomorrow, a program that aims to draw $10 million in fundraising to rebuild Joplin’s business community.

“The goal is Joplin Tomorrow—it’s not Joplin yesterday or even Joplin today,” Blunt said.

Blunt said the foundation aims to provide low- or zero-interest loans to small businesses looking to grow, and it also is looking to draw new businesses to the city.

He said the foundation has already raised $1 million.

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