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Biden urges Congress to authorize nearly $100 billion in disaster relief

President Joe Biden's. administration contacted U.S. legislators on Monday to quickly. pass roughly $100 billion in emergency disaster relief financing. in the wake of harmful storms that have depleted the coffers of. numerous recovery assistance programs.

The funding bundle, which includes $40 billion for FEMA's. disaster relief fund and more than $2 billion for the diminished. Small company Administration loan program, would be provided. to Congress as quickly as Monday, a senior administration official. stated.

Biden's administration has actually made numerous ask for more. disaster aid because Congress last passed additional funding in. December 2022, however legislators have actually not acted regardless of numerous. storms consisting of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, White House. Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young said.

In the interim, the Biden administration has provided. federal assistance to victims of the terrible wildfires in Maui,. the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, and. severe storms in Connecticut, Alaska, Louisiana, New Mexico and. more, Young informed press reporters on a Monday call.

There's no space for politics in catastrophe relief, Young. stated. With Congress back in session, the Biden-Harris. Administration stands all set to work with legislators to provide. the essential resources our communities require and anticipate with strong. bipartisan and bicameral assistance.

She kept in mind that Congress and administrations of both parties. have a history of supporting such catastrophe relief, having. provided over $90 billion in help after Hurricane Katrina, over. $ 50 billion after Typhoon Sandy and over $120 billion. following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. A new Republican-led Congress assembles in early January and. Biden leaves office Jan. 20, handing over the White House to. Republican President-elect Donald Trump.

Typhoon Milton came ashore on Oct. 9 and carved a swathe. of destruction throughout Florida, consisting of an approximated $1.5. billion to $2.5 billion in crops and agricultural facilities. damage alone, to name a few losses.

Typhoon Helene had actually made landfall further north just weeks. previously.

Experts have actually stated they expect up to $55 billion in insured. losses from this year's Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told reporters on Monday. that her agency needed the supplemental $40 billion included in. this bundle to support continuous healing efforts from the. back-to-back cyclones.

FEMA needed to enter an immediate requirements moneying posture on. Aug. 7 to prioritize the extremely pricey life-saving typhoon. reaction, which triggered it to postpone some $8.8 billion worth of. funds to some 3,000 ongoing healing tasks, Criswell stated.

FEMA presently has enough financing in its catastrophe relief. fund to support its hurricane response through the December 20. end of the continuing resolution that Congress passed in late. September, however only if there are no brand-new big catastrophes,. Criswell said.

(source: Reuters)