A gaggle of GOP senators introduced laws Wednesday to replenish a essential catastrophe aid fund as members on each side have sounded alarm over its funds amid back-to-back hurricanes.
The laws, introduced by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.), seeks to place $20 billion towards the Federal Emergency Administration Company’s (FEMA) catastrophe aid fund.
“The Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) is the front line for states, and our constituents, to receive support in the aftermath of natural disasters,” Rubio mentioned in an announcement. “While assessments of the full extent of these storms are underway, the DRF cannot be allowed to be depleted.”
“The federal government’s response to hurricanes over the last two years has left too many Floridians, especially our farmers, hurting and with unmet needs,” Scott additionally mentioned. “Unfortunately, I am already hearing from local officials and families in Florida that are frustrated by the fact that these disasters have stretched FEMA’s current resources too thin.”
Sens. Invoice Cassidy (R-La.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) have additionally co-sponsored the invoice.
Congress final month handed a brief stopgap measure to maintain federal funding from lapsing in October and to forestall a authorities shutdown. Of the 4 senators backing the measure, Scott is the one senator who didn’t vote for the funding invoice final month.
Negotiators mentioned then that the deal allowed for the company to make use of the fund’s fiscal 2025 sources quicker for catastrophe response throughout the practically three-month stopgap, letting FEMA draw from a roughly $20 billion pot beginning Oct. 1.
However because the hurricane season has ramped up, FEMA officers have indicated to reporters in current days that just about half of that cash is already gone.
The invoice handed final month additionally notably didn’t embody extra funding for the Small Enterprise Administration’s catastrophe mortgage program, which President Biden mentioned on Tuesday had been depleted.
“The Small Business Administration’s disaster loan program, which is a critical lifeline to small businesses, homeowners, and renters affected by disasters, has been exhausted,” he mentioned.
“Speaker Johnson has promised that this and other disaster programs will be replenished when Congress returns, so Americans should continue to apply for these loans. SBA will continue to process applications and will disburse loans as soon as Congress provides the needed funding.”
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) additionally mentioned that there’s “no question these devastating back-to-back storms have stressed the SBA funding program.” Nonetheless, he additionally mentioned the administration “has the necessary disaster funding right now to address the immediate needs of American people in these hurricane affected areas.”
“Congress is tracking this situation closely, and when members return in just a few short weeks, the administration should have an accurate assessment of the actual dollar amount needed and there will be strong bipartisan support to provide the necessary funding.”
