Disaster Assistance – Unfinished Business for the 118th Congress

In September and October of 2024, Hurricane Helene (a category 4) and Hurricane Milton (a category 5) struck Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and other States. Over 100 lives were lost. In March of 2024, the Baltimore Key Bridge collapsed. In August of 2023, Lahaina, Maui was devastated by fire with over 100 lives lost. Notwithstanding three requests from the Biden Administration, Congress has not acted on a comprehensive disaster package.

On November 18, 2024, President Biden renewed the requests with a $98.6 billion package. On November 20, the Senate Appropriations Committee held a hearing on the request and Chair Murray (D-WA) and Ranking Member Collins (R-ME) committed to enacting a disaster aid package before the Congress adjourns. A package may be included on a continuing resolution extension, that needs to be enacted by December 20, 2024, or in a full-year spending bill if Leadership decides to complete the FY 2025 appropriations process by the end of this calendar year.

From rebuilding homes and reopening critical infrastructure, such as schools and roads — to supporting the Nation’s farmers and ranchers and ensuring access to healthcare services impacted communities await your response.

President Biden,
November 18

In summary, the $98.6 billion request includes:

• $40 billion for the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund (water, food, fuel, debris removal, temporary housing, individual assistance, and long-term recovery efforts). Of the $20.3 billion included for FEMA in the first continuing resolution in late September, (PL 118-83), less than $5 billion remains available;
• $21 billion for USDA for crop and livestock losses, $2.3 billion primarily for Emergency Watershed and Conservation (primarily debris removal), and $55 million for WIC and Temporary Emergency Food Assistance (food banks);
• $12 billion for the HUD Community Development Block Grant Disaster program, for housing and other Twenty States and territories have eligible disasters, such as the recent hurricanes, the Maui fires, and tornados in Oklahoma, Mississippi, Kentucky, Iowa;
• $8.1 billion for DOT for emergency highways and transit (over 40 States and territories have eligible disasters, including $1.6 billion for the Baltimore Key Bridge collapse, less $350 million of anticipated insurance recovery). The request proposes a 100% Federal reimbursement level for the Baltimore bridge;
• $4.1 billion for EPA for repairing clean water and sewage systems;
• $2.7 billion for HHS for emergency health assistance, social services, Head Start, and for intravenous fluids;
• $2.3 billion for Commerce, including $1.5 billion for economic development programs and over $700 million for two hurricane tracker planes;
• $2.2 billion for SBA Disaster loans (including loans to individuals to rebuild homes). The fund was exhausted on October 15, and over 100,000 applications are pending the availability of funds;
• $1 billion for the Department of Energy for grid rebuilding and modernization;
• $950 million for the Department of Education to help reopen schools;
• $463 million for the Corps of Engineers and $80 million for the Coast Guard for recovery efforts following the collapse of the Baltimore Key Bridge;
• $291 million for Interior and USDA (and bill language) to reform wildland firefighter pay;
• Small amounts for the Labor Dislocated Worker program, the Legal Services Corporation, for the State Department for a joint Mexico-San Diego sewage program, and AmeriCorps.

In addition, the President asked Congress to cancel some or all of the existing National Flood Insurance Program debt, so that policyholders can receive flood repair payments due them, pursuant to law.

On November 27, 2024, the Biden Administration transmitted additional requests totaling $16.1 billion for federal facilities damaged by the hurricanes. DOD, Forest Service, National Park Service, the Department of the Interior, and the General Services Administration are included.

The President has proposed that all of the funding be designated as an emergency, without offsets.

People are desperate for answers. Desperate for help. Desperate for hope. And they are looking to Congress for action. We cannot let them down. Not now. Not ever. That’s why it is so important we come together to pass a bipartisan supplemental that meets these challenges.

Senate Appropriations Chair Murray (D-WA),
November 20

Congress is expected to return on December 2. It is expected that a disaster package will be enacted either on the second continuing resolution or in a full-year spending bill by December 20. Its size and scope and whether the spending is offset by cuts in other programs have not yet been determined.

House and Senate Republicans plan a thorough review of the package; some believe that the total can be trimmed significantly. House Appropriations Committee Chair Cole (R-OK) said “There’s a big need here, but there’s also a determination that this not be a spending grab bag on the way out the door by the administration.”