Exclusive: Mike Johnson (Republican Party, Louisiana, Louisiana) criticizes Hurricane Helen's response to the Biden administration, and the price of recovery can be “one of the most expensive things” in the United States.性があると警告している。
Prime Minister Johnson told Fox News Digital on Friday evening, “The parliament acted appropriately because of the quite creepy forecast,” and the members of the Diet last month in the short -term federal capital of FEMA.ドルを確保したと指摘した。 “But, so far, [President Biden, Vice President Harris and Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas]
Johnson said he was “alarmed and disappointed” by comments Biden officials made in the immediate aftermath of the storm suggesting FEMA funding was too low to address Helen's anger.
Mayorkas said earlier this week that while the agency was “meeting the immediate needs” caused by the hurricane, “FEMA doesn't have the funds to get us through the season.”
Death toll rises as North Carolina reels from Helen's devastation: 'We've never seen anything like this'
Speaker Mike Johnson spoke with Fox News Digital after touring areas of Florida and Georgia hit by Hurricane Helen. (Getty Images)
Biden suggested earlier this week that Congress may want to return for an emergency session to pass a supplemental disaster aid bill.
“They are desperate to cover up their own terrible mistakes and mistakes, and then try to blame others and blame the situation when it is purely a lack of leadership and responsiveness.試みがある」と講演者は語った。 He said Mayorkas said in July that FEMA is “very prepared” for a weather crisis this year. Fox News Digital has contacted the White House and DHS for comment.
Johnson also argued that lawmakers can't act until state and local assessments predict how much money will be needed.
“These estimates will not be completed until at least 30 days after the election, when Congress will reconvene,” he said.
Hurricane Helen: North Carolinians fight to survive as essential goods run out
Republican leaders are no strangers to hurricanes. He said his home state of Louisiana is still dealing with the effects of Hurricane Katrina, but when asked about the cost of recovery after Helen struck the Southeast, killing more than 200 people, his predictions were dire.ものだった、と述べた。
He said it could be “one of the most expensive storms this country has ever encountered.”
“It's affected at least six states and there's been widespread destruction across so many areas, so I think it's going to take some time to assess,” Johnson said.
Johnson criticized President Biden's response to the storm.
“As soon as these numbers are ready, Congress will be ready to act,” Johnson vowed at another point.
“I certainly hope the administration is working overtime now…help them get ready.”
As part of the immediate response, Prime Minister Johnson is touring the storm-hit states of Georgia and Florida and said he was prepared to visit hard-hit North Carolina in the coming days.
Criticism of FEMA's response has led some conservatives to argue that the Biden administration will divert disaster relief funds to help illegal immigrants at the border through the Shelter and Services Program (SSP), which was allocated about $650 million last year.流用していると非難している。
President Trump targets Biden, Harris over federal response to hurricanes: 'Poor management'
Both the White House and the Ministry of Land Security (DHS) have strongly denied any relevance other than the fact that disaster assistance and SSP management are managed by FEMA, and disaster support supports immigration residential services. He said the claim that it was used in the United States was false.
White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a memo Friday that “no disaster relief funds are being used to support housing or services for immigrants. Absolutely not at all.” “In fact, funding for community assistance to migrants has been appropriated by Congress directly to CBP and is solely administered by FEMA. This funding has no connection to FEMA's response or recovery efforts.”
Johnson didn't give a definitive answer when asked about concerns echoed on the right, but he did accuse Mayorkas of mismanaging DHS.
Home in the aftermath of Hurricane Helen on October 2, 2024 in Chimney Rock Village, North Carolina (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
“There's a lot of controversy about the nonsense that Mayorkas' Department of Homeland Security is engaging in, about their…dangerous open border policies and subsequent efforts to take illegal aliens and transport them across the country,” Johnson said. spoke. . “We have worked every day in the Republican House to stop the madness.
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“So what happened is that FEMA, because it's a division of DHS, was able to help Americans recover from disasters, rather than straining resources into other programs that deal with illegal aliens. It is clear that we should focus on
“There are various programs with different funds,” said Johnson, when DHS had been converted to the SSP for disaster -supported funding.
He noted that House Republicans are seeking to defund the SSP program in current federal funding discussions for fiscal year 2025.
“We are doing everything we can to prevent the White House and Democrats from abusing these laws and abusing taxpayer dollars,” Johnson said.
Fox News Digital's Adam Shaw contributed to this report
