Rep. Marcy Capture (D-Ohio), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, sent a letter Tuesday to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) requesting additional disaster relief supplies in the wake of Hurricane Milton. called for the House to reconvene to allocate. To Florida.
In a letter shared with The Hill, Kaptur and four other House Democrats cited the already intense hurricane season and argued that recent disaster funding appropriated by Congress would add to the funding needed for fiscal year 2025. He wrote that there was a “decisive shortage”. Shortly after Hurricane Helen killed more than 200 people and caused billions of dollars in property damage, Milton became one of the fastest storms in history to intensify to Category 5.
“Previously allocated funds were a necessary first step to enable initial response in the immediate aftermath of these disasters. However, as recovery efforts continue, it is clear that these funds will not be sufficient. Furthermore, the frequency and intensity of these extreme weather events underscore the need for proactive measures,” Kaptur and colleagues wrote.
“The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) must be equipped not only to respond to current disasters, but also to adequately prepare for future events. And we need significant funding to be able to provide immediate assistance in the event of a disaster. Additionally, we need to replenish the Small Business Administration's disaster relief loan program as soon as possible so business owners can rebuild their businesses and communities. We need to support you.”
Kaptur's fellow Democratic congressmen Kathy Manning (North Carolina), Jared Moskowitz (Florida), Dina Titus (Nevada) and Melanie Stansbury (New Mexico) also wrote the letter. I joined.
Shortly after Herren's remarks, President Biden indicated he would bring Congress back into session to pass more storm aid, a call echoed by both Democratic and Republican lawmakers.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Monday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has the resources it needs to deal with the Milton issue, but after Herren, the Federal Emergency Management Agency does not need any additions from Congress. Without the budget, he said there would not be enough money to cover the remainder of the hurricane season.
The Hill has reached out to Johnson's office for comment.
