INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana's congressional delegation is asking President Bush to reconsider a decision denying federal assistance to help rebuild hundreds of homes and more than 100 businesses damaged by a tornado.

The letter was sent to the White House on Wednesday. It was signed by all both state senators and all of Indiana's members in the U.S. House except the ailing Julia Carson.

Gov. Mitch Daniels already has appealed the Nov. 21 decision by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

FEMA turned down Nappanee's request for disaster assistance last month after an Oct. 18 tornado destroyed 51 homes in the northern Indiana city of fewer than 7,000 people. FEMA said damage to the private sector wasn't severe enough to warrant a major disaster declaration and assistance.

A total of 137 homes had major damage and 201 had minor damage from the storm. A total of 107 businesses sustained damage, including three recreational vehicle plants that are among Nappanee's largest employers.

In their letter, the lawmakers noted that the damage to the small community was proportionately severe.

"While the total number of affected people may seem small, to the small rural Elkhart County community of Nappanee, where the preponderance of the damage occurred, the effect is devastating," the letter said.

"Although wildfires in California have reportedly affected thousands of people, the number represents a relatively-small percentage of the millions of people who live in the San Diego and Los Angeles area — compared to potentially 50 percent of people in Nappanee who are facing employment problems."

The letter said that voluntary agencies estimate their clean-up efforts will total $2 million and additional hundreds of thousands of dollars will be needed to help victims and noted that "timely federal assistance is essential."