An emergency funding request for approximately $100 billion has been submitted to Congress by President Biden to aid in recovery efforts following natural disasters. This includes the devastating impact of hurricanes Helene and Milton, which severely affected communities across the Southeast and drained crucial resources for ongoing recovery programs.
In a letter to the House Speaker, Biden emphasized the urgency of the request, stating that impacted areas need immediate assistance to rebuild homes, reopen infrastructure like schools and roads, and support essential services for farmers, ranchers, and healthcare providers. “There can be no delay,” he wrote, calling for swift action.
The president urged lawmakers to quickly approve a supplemental funding package to support those affected by the hurricanes and other disasters that have occurred since the last comprehensive disaster relief package was passed in 2022. The goal is to ensure affected people, families, businesses, and communities receive the necessary resources to recover and rebuild.
Biden emphasizes rebuilding homes and infrastructure in hurricane-ravaged areas
Included in the request is $40 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund. Biden warned that without this funding, FEMA would face a shortfall in the current fiscal year, which would hinder its ability to assist disaster survivors and support recovery efforts.
The administration is also seeking emergency funds for over a dozen federal agencies to bolster health services, housing, transportation, and infrastructure. These agencies include the Small Business Administration and the Department of Agriculture, both of which have been running low on funds after recent storms.
Shalanda Young, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, highlighted in a memo that several federal agencies have warned Congress about funding shortages, including the need to replenish critical disaster response programs and provide long-term recovery aid.
The Department of Agriculture, for instance, would receive $24 billion to support farmers, while the Department of Housing and Urban Development would get $12 billion for disaster recovery programs, and the Small Business Administration would be allocated $2 million for its loan program.
The funding would not only address the result of hurricanes Helene and Milton, which resulted in loss of life and billions in damages, but also support ongoing recovery efforts from previous disasters such as the wildfires in Maui and tornadoes in Mississippi, Iowa, and Oklahoma earlier this year.
Since 2022, the Biden administration has repeatedly requested additional disaster relief funding, as noted by Young. Biden pointed to Congress’s bipartisan actions following previous natural disasters, such as the $120 billion allocated after hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria in 2017, urging lawmakers to act with the same sense of duty and urgency to provide the resources needed for affected communities.
With a government funding bill deadline of December 20 looming, Congress now faces a critical decision on how to proceed with the disaster relief request. There is a possibility that these funds could be included in the larger spending package to prevent a government shutdown. In January, control of the House, Senate, and the White House will shift to the GOP, with President-elect Trump set to assume office.
