FEMA doesn’t have enough funds to weather hurricane season, Mayorkas warns

The Federal Emergency Management Agency can meet immediate needs but does not have enough funds to get through hurricane season, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Wednesday.

The agency is struggling as it works with states to assess damage from Hurricane Helene and provides food, water, generators and other critical supplies. The storm hit Florida last week, then tore through several southeastern states, flooding cities and killing more than 160 people.

Mayorkas was not specific about how much additional money the agency might need, but his remarks about Air Force One underscored concerns expressed by President Joe Biden and some lawmakers earlier this week that Congress might need to pass a additional spending bill this fall to help states with recovery efforts.

Modeler KCC puts privately insured losses at $6.4 billion from Helene

“We meet our immediate needs with the money we have. We expect another hurricane to hit,” Mayorkas said. “FEMA doesn’t have the funds to get through the season.”

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, but most hurricanes usually occur in September and October.

Congress recently supplemented a key source of FEMA’s response efforts by providing $20 billion to the agency’s disaster relief fund as part of a short-term government spending bill to fund the government through December 20. faster when needed.

However, both houses of Congress are scheduled to be in their home states and districts until after the election as lawmakers focus on campaigning.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., gave no indication he was considering changing that program during a speech Tuesday. He said Congress just gave FEMA the funding it needs to respond, and that lawmakers will make sure those resources are allocated appropriately.

A bipartisan group of senators from affected states wrote their leadership this week saying it’s clear Congress must act to address constituents’ needs. They said Congress might even have to come back in October before the election.

Mayorkas made his comments as Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris fanned out across the Southeast to witness the hurricane damage and seek to demonstrate commitment and competence in helping devastated communities. Biden is heading to North and South Carolina, while Harris is going to Georgia.

More than 150,000 households have registered for assistance with FEMA, and the number is expected to rise rapidly in the coming days, said Frank Matranga, a spokesman for the agency.

The devastation was particularly severe in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where at least 57 people died in Asheville, North Carolina, a tourist haven known for its art galleries, breweries and outdoor activities.

“Communities have been wiped off the map,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said at a news conference Tuesday.

Photo: The contents of the home of Marjorie Havard, who was found dead inside the home, lie in a pile Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Indian Rocks Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

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