Biden asks Congress for $100 billion to aid recovery from hurricanes, other disasters

WASHINGTON – The Biden administration is asking Congress to approve nearly $100 billion in emergency funding to help it respond to a series of disasters that have stretched government resources thin.

The request, submitted Monday, includes $40 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide aid in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which caused catastrophic damage in Florida and several other states across the Southeast in September and October.

Some of the additional funding the administration is requesting would also be used to respond to other emergencies, such as last year’s devastating wildfires in Maui, tornadoes across the Midwest and the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore in March.

“This relief is important,” White House budget director Shalanda Young told reporters. “Families, small businesses, neighborhoods and communities are counting on their government to be there for them when they need help the most.”

FEMA has enough money to respond to recovery efforts for Helene and Milton through the end of the year, assuming there aren’t any other large disasters, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said. But the agency is running out of money and won’t have enough to get through the remainder of the fiscal year, which stretches through the end of next September, without additional funding, she said.

Congress, which returned to work last week following the Nov. 5 presidential election after lawmakers spent over a month in their districts, must decide whether to take up the request through standalone legislation or as part of an end-of-year spending package.

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Young and Criswell held out hope on Monday that the package would receive bipartisan approval.

“As President Biden has said, there are no Democrats, there are no Republicans when it comes to delivering this relief,” Young said.

The administration’s funding request includes $24 billion for the Agriculture Department to provide assistance to farmers who experienced crop or livestock losses because of natural disasters, such as hurricanes, wildfires or drought, and to help communities with debris removal and make other repairs.

The administration also is requesting $12 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development to address damage caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton and to deal with other recovery efforts from emergencies over the past two years. It is seeking $8 billion for the Transportation Department to build, repair or reconstruction highways, bridges and roads in more than 40 states that have been seriously damaged because of disasters.

Another $2 billion would go to the Small Business Administration to provide low-interest disaster loans for businesses, homeowners, renters and nonprofit organizations.

All together, the administration is asking for disaster funding for 16 departments or agencies.

Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on X @mcollinsNEWS.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden seeks $100 billion for recovery from hurricanes, other disasters