Alejandro Mayorkas Urges Congress for Increased FEMA Funding Amid Hurricane Season Demands

Magnifying glass over FEMA Disasters webpage.

FEMA’s Funding Crisis: Mayorkas Calls for Congressional Action as Hurricane Season Rages On

As FEMA’s resources dwindle amidst a devastating hurricane season, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas urgently appeals to Congress for additional funding.

At a Glance

FEMA’s current funds insufficient for entire hurricane season, despite recent $20 billion replenishment
Over 150,000 households have registered for FEMA assistance following Hurricanes Helene and Milton
Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused over 230 deaths and widespread destruction across southeastern states
Mayorkas emphasizes non-partisan nature of disaster relief funding
Congress may need to return from campaigning to address funding shortfall

FEMA’s Funding Dilemma

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) faces a critical funding shortage as the 2024 hurricane season continues to wreak havoc across the southeastern United States. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has issued a stark warning to Congress, emphasizing the urgent need for additional funds to sustain disaster relief efforts throughout the remainder of the season.

Despite a recent $20 billion replenishment of FEMA’s disaster relief fund through a short-term government spending bill, Mayorkas states that the agency’s resources are rapidly depleting. The severity of recent storms, particularly Hurricanes Helene and Milton, has placed unprecedented demands on FEMA’s capabilities.

Mayorkas calls on Congress to fund FEMA disaster relief, warning ‘hurricane season is not over’ https://t.co/bDcCxrouZS

— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 13, 2024

Devastating Impact of Recent Hurricanes

Hurricane Helene has left a trail of destruction across Florida and the Southeast, claiming over 160 lives. The impact was particularly severe in North Carolina, where authorities confirmed at least 93 fatalities. Hurricane Milton, a Category 3 storm, resulted in at least 10 deaths and left hundreds of thousands without power in Florida.

“Communities were wiped off the map,” North Carolina’s governor, Roy Cooper, said at a news conference Tuesday.

The Blue Ridge Mountains region, particularly around Asheville, North Carolina, suffered severe devastation with at least 57 deaths reported. These back-to-back disasters have stretched FEMA’s resources to their limits, with over 150,000 households already registered for assistance.

"FEMA has the money to address the immediate needs of individuals impacted by hurricanes Helene and Milton," DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says, but Congress must "act swiftly" to fund FEMA's disaster relief fund "because hurricane season is not over."

He adds that funding… pic.twitter.com/3sEPpgn89m

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) October 13, 2024

Mayorkas Defends FEMA’s Response

In the face of mounting pressure, Mayorkas has staunchly defended FEMA’s response to the recent disasters. He highlighted the agency’s rapid distribution of over $470 million in relief to those affected by Hurricane Helene.

“FEMA has not been slow at all,” he said. “It already has distributed more than $470 million in relief to individuals impacted by Hurricane Helene. I take great pride, and this nation should take great pride in the extraordinary work of our FEMA personnel and all first responders.”

However, with seven weeks of hurricane season remaining, concerns about FEMA’s ability to respond to future storms are growing. Mayorkas emphasized that while FEMA can meet immediate needs, it lacks sufficient funding to cover the entire hurricane season.

Call for Congressional Action

Mayorkas is urging Congress to act swiftly to bolster FEMA’s disaster relief fund. He stressed the non-partisan nature of disaster relief funding and suggested that Congress might need to pass a supplemental spending bill for recovery efforts.

“We have to ensure that individuals can recover from these extreme disasters, such as rebuilding their homes, repairing damage and the like,” Mayorkas said Sunday. “And so we need Congress to act swiftly to fund what should be a nonpartisan, apolitical phenomenon, and that is providing relief to all individuals with respect to the impacts of these extreme weather events.”

A bipartisan group of Senators from affected states is pushing for immediate action on funding, potentially requiring Congress to return from campaigning in October to address the shortfall. This situation underscores the critical need for adequate disaster preparedness and funding to protect American lives and property in the face of increasingly severe weather events.