DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said: interview He told The Associated Press that the U.S. is prepared for a severe hurricane and wildfire season, but expressed concern about budget shortfalls.
“We expect the Disaster Relief Fund, a critical resource that we use to help affected communities, to be depleted by mid-August. And we need Congress to fund the Disaster Relief Fund,” he told The Associated Press.
The Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) is the primary funding mechanism through which the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides assistance to disaster-affected areas of the country.
Spending on the DRF has increased from an average of $5 billion per year from 1992-2004 to an average of $17 billion per year from 2005-2021. According to USAspending.gov.
This year, FEMA had The DRF has $49 billion in reserves, and has already spent $26 billion before the start of hurricane season. When the funds run out, FEMA will Emergency funds can be used The use of other budget resources from other programs up to $34 million is authorized.
Mayorkas spoke to The Associated Press during a visit to FEMA, an agency under the Department of Homeland Security, saying experts believe this year could be the worst Atlantic hurricane season on record as climate change makes storms more intense.
Tropical Storm Alberto, the first named storm of the season, brought heavy rains to parts of Mexico.
Mayorkas said the Weather Service is well prepared to deal with this summer’s hurricanes and other natural disasters, adding that more intense disasters around the country, driven in part by climate change, have given the agency experience in responding to crises.
“As the impacts of climate change become increasingly clear, we are seeing and experiencing increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events,” Mayorkas said.
Earlier this week, environmental and labor groups petitioned FEMA to include heat and wildfire smoke as major disasters under the law that governs federal disaster response. The request: Large strip Many parts of the United States are experiencing record heat waves.
Mayorkas suggested that extreme heat could soon qualify as a major disaster under the law.
