According to an August report by the Department of Homeland Security inspector general, there is still over $7 billion in emergency funding that could be utilized for natural disasters.
This contradicts the statement made by DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas last week, where he claimed that no funding was available following Hurricane Helene.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Alejandro Mayorkas, aged 64, addressed reporters and expressed concerns about the ability of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to handle additional hurricanes this autumn.
He emphasized that FEMA currently lacks the necessary funds to cope with further devastating storms in North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.
“We anticipate another hurricane approaching,” stated the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) chief on October 2, just before Hurricane Milton gained momentum in the Gulf of Mexico. “Our resources are insufficient. FEMA lacks the necessary funds to sustain operations throughout the season and respond to the imminent threat.”
According to a report by DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari, FEMA still had $8.3 billion in unliquidated funds as of October 2022, intended for providing relief for declared disasters from 2012 or earlier.
The report highlights that a significant portion of the $12.8 billion in federal funding for hurricane recovery efforts could potentially be allocated to the Disaster Relief Fund.
Specifically, more than $7 billion has the potential to be returned to this dedicated fund, which is intended to support communities affected by natural disasters.
The federal government has only distributed $4 million to individuals affected by Helene in the Southeast. This financial assistance, which amounts to a maximum of $750 per person, is intended to alleviate the burden of purchasing groceries and emergency supplies.
Hurricane Milton is quickly becoming one of the most powerful Gulf storms in history, already surpassing its predecessors in strength. And it shows no signs of weakening.
The devastating storm has claimed the lives of at least 232 people and caused a staggering $47.5 billion in destruction.
Senator Marsha Blackburn criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for prioritizing foreign aid while neglecting the needs of her own state. According to Blackburn, it took a whole week for some county mayors in her home state to receive a phone call from FEMA, while Harris swiftly announced a significant amount of US aid, $157 million, to Lebanon, labeling it as a dire humanitarian situation.
Jean-Pierre pointed out that there is still over $200 million in disaster relief funding available, which hasn’t been used up by individuals seeking assistance. Despite this, the president is requesting additional funding from Congress.
Trump is confident that his supporters in the storm-ravaged South will make it to the voting booths on Election Day, even if they have to crawl.
“We have allocated funds to the affected areas to assist those in need,” she explained. “We have sufficient resources to support the survivors of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.”
She added that there would be a shortfall due to the uncertainty surrounding the severity of Hurricane Milton. As a result, additional funding would be required.
“Doocy expressed his exasperation, stating, ‘That’s precisely what I just inquired about, and you claimed it was merely misinformation.'”
Jean-Pierre responded, “You’re asking me why Congress needs to come back and do their job. That’s what you’re asking me. You may not want that, but that’s OK. That’s what this president wants and that’s what the vice president wants.”
Conservative critics, such as the well-known Libs of TikTok account on X, also highlighted an additional $3.9 billion allocated for Disaster Relief Funding. This funding was originally intended for COVID-19 relief efforts targeting state and local governments, nonprofits, and schools.
The Biden-Harris administration has allocated $1.4 billion from two different funds, the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) and the Shelter and Service Program (SSP), to support state and local governments, as well as non-governmental organizations, in assisting migrants in their settlement process in the United States.
Republicans have been making the argument that the funds should be redirected to assist in the federal response to Hurricane Helene. However, the office of Mayorkas responded by stating that his agency is unable to do so as Congress did not authorize the transfer of funds.
In a letter addressed to President Biden, five Republican senators expressed their concern that FEMA’s focus has been diverted from its primary responsibility of responding to hurricanes and other emergencies. They criticized the agency’s involvement in addressing the border crisis, stating that it has affected FEMA’s readiness in fulfilling its core mission.
“We are deeply concerned about the impact of FEMA’s involvement at the border on its readiness and preparations for Hurricane Helene, as well as its ability to respond effectively,” expressed Senators James Lankford of Oklahoma, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, and Roger Marshall of Kansas.
Several GOP lawmakers criticized Vice President Kamala Harris, accusing her of engaging in “political posturing” following the disaster.
“VP Harris, I was referring to politicians like yourself who exploit this disaster for political gain,” Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) expressed on X in response to the Harris campaign sharing one of his quotes condemning “political posturing, finger pointing, or conspiracy theories” on social media.”
Last week, Harris, who is 59 years old, shared a photo on her official X account. The picture showed her on Air Force Two, seemingly taking notes during an important phone call. Interestingly, she wasn’t wearing her headphones while doing so.
According to the five senators, Congress allocated over $30 billion for FEMA in fiscal year 2024. FEMA representatives did not respond to a request for comment when contacted.