Biden seeks nearly $100 billion in emergency disaster aid after Hurricanes Helene and Milton
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will then request nearly $100 billion in disaster relief Hurricanes Helene and Miltonand other natural disasters, prompting lawmakers to be told the money is “urgently needed.”
Monday’s letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson comes as lawmakers meet in a lame-duck session to finalize top priorities before making way for a new Congress and the incoming Trump administration. Biden said he met firsthand with people affected by the storms and heard what residents and businesses needed from the federal government.
“Additional resources are critical to continue supporting these communities,” Biden said.
The bulk of the money, about $40 billion, would go to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s main disaster fund. The fund helps remove debris, repair public infrastructure and provide financial assistance to survivors.
Biden said the fund would face a deficit this budget year without additional money. He said this would not only affect the agency’s ability to provide life-saving assistance to survivors, but also slow recovery efforts from previous disasters.
Another $24 billion would help farmers who have suffered crop or livestock losses, and $12 billion would go to helping communities recover through block grants administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
About an additional $8 billion would help rebuild and repair highways and bridges in more than 40 states and territories. The government is also seeking $4 billion for long-term improvements to the water system to limit future damage from natural disasters.
The Small Business Administration is up money for a program that provides low-interest loans to businesses, nonprofits and homeowners trying to rebuild after a disaster. Biden is demanding $2 billion for that program. Several other agencies would also receive emergency funding if Congress approves the full request.
Lawmakers expected a good number from the government. Johnson, R-La., said Congress will review the request and “we will make sure we get results for the victims of the hurricane and the people who suffered.”
Johnson had also visited western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene to assess damage. At the time, he said Congress would act in a bipartisan manner to help communities recover, but he also said this would be “the right amount for the federal government to do.”
With many Republicans campaigning on cutting federal spending, there could be some debate over parts of Biden’s request. The federal government does not help with every disaster. In general, involvement is only involved when needs exceed the capabilities of a community or state.
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said he opposes the president’s requested relief package because it will not be offset by cuts elsewhere.
“This is a matter of spending money,” Norman said.
Republicans are also outraged that a FEMA employee told workers helping hurricane survivors not to go to homes with yard signs supporting Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. The agency’s leader, Administrator Deanne Criswell, said the employee was dismissed and the directive was a clear violation of the agency’s core values of helping people regardless of their political beliefs.
However, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., called the president’s request a “good start.” He said residents of Asheville, North Carolina, are still under an advisory to boil their water, “and that’s not the worst thing happening there.”
“We have to send a signal to them that we are going to support them,” Tillis said.
The Senate committee is expected to hear Wednesday from the heads of several government agencies that would receive funding at Biden’s request. It’s possible that emergency aid could be tied to any spending bill intended to keep federal agencies operational after current funding expires on December 20.
Biden noted that Congress provided more than $90 billion in aid after Hurricane Katrina nearly two decades ago, and more than $50 billion after Hurricane Sandy in 2013. He urged Congress to take “immediate action.”
“Just as Congress acted then, it is now our sworn duty to provide the necessary resources to ensure that everyone in communities reeling from Hurricanes Helene and Milton – and those still recovering from previous disasters – get the federal resources they need and deserve.” Biden wrote.
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AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.