Sen. Rick Scott said in a statement today that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer should “immediately reconvene” the Senate to consider measures to approve FEMA funding in the wake of Hurricane Helen. said.
“I know from past hurricane experience that FEMA and SBA damage assessments take time, but today I am reminding Majority Leader Chuck Schumer that once these assessments are complete, the U.S. I urge the Senate to reconvene and pass a clean disaster relief funding bill. Federal Disaster Tax Relief Actwe need to ensure a full recovery for families in every affected community,” the Florida Republican said.
On Saturday night, President Joe Biden approved the request after Sens. Scott and Marco Rubio sent a letter to President Joe Biden requesting immediate approval of a major disaster declaration for Florida. The approval of this major disaster declaration follows last week's approval by the state of Florida to declare a pre-landfall emergency for potentially affected Florida counties at the request of Senators Scott and Rubio. be.
The interim spending bill approved last week to avert a government shutdown “anticipated” the possibility that Hurricane Helen would hit parts of the United States. That's why lawmakers decided to allow FEMA to use up its current reserves more quickly to address immediate post-hurricane needs. Additionally, House Republican leaders told Fox that “it was not a good idea to shut down the government because of this.”
Biden goes on the defensive as commanders are forced to respond to Hurricane Helen
After heavy rains from Hurricane Helen in Lake Lure, North Carolina on September 28, 2024, the Rocky Broad River flows into Lake Lure, flooding the town with debris from Chimney Rock, North Carolina. (Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)
But ahead of Scott's statement earlier today, Congressional leaders familiar with the purse strings said the damage was so severe that lawmakers were being recalled to Washington to approve additional funding to address immediate needs. However, he admitted, “I'm not surprised.'' ”
“I'm not opposed to it,” said one House Republican leader. “And we don't agree with those who say we won't go back.”
Still, another House Republican leader told Fox: “There's no question we need to appropriate emergency funds. Western North Carolina is like New Orleans during Katrina.” But the official cautioned that it was doubtful Congress would have to act within the next month. This is different from 2006, when Congress returned to an emergency session just days after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast.
One thing to watch in the coming days is whether FEMA has enough funds in the near term to respond to Helen's devastating effects.
Congress left town without providing sufficient disaster relief to deal with “old” natural disasters. In particular, there are calls to provide more funding to deal with Hurricane Beryl, which hit Texas in July. Iowa also has problems with its response to tornadoes. And getting enough funding for Hawaii has been a longstanding challenge after last year's wildfires scorched the island of Maui.
Some lawmakers had hoped to include additional disaster aid in the interim spending bill that Congress approved last week to keep the government open, but then left town until mid-November.
However, the extraordinary spending bill gave FEMA the authority to withdraw the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) more quickly. The question is whether DRF will bottom out after Helen. Or certainly if there are any other storm effects that may soon form in the Gulf of Mexico. Fox has been told that the combination of responding to needs following the Helen incident and a new storm could lead to a loss of FEMA's safes.
Rescue operations underway in North Carolina after Hurricane Helen's 'hysotic' flooding and landslides
That said, one person familiar with Congressional spending said that despite Helen's terminal nature, not enough is known about the needs yet. Things could get better later this week.
This August 2006 file photo shows the city skyline with Bayou St. John in the foreground on August 25, 2006 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Tama Mario/Getty Images)
So what happens when FEMA's disaster relief funds get too low?
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Congress could be recalled to replenish the fund. It happened in late summer 2005 after Hurricane Katrina. Parliament is closed during its customary August recess, which often lasts several days into early September. Days after Katrina struck, it was clear that the shock would quickly deplete FEMA's funding. In a dramatic midnight session, then-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) recalled the Senate and key staff to approve additional aid. The House of Representatives soon followed suit.
