'Biden may call Congress back for Hurricane Helene relief funding'

 

President Biden said Monday he expects to ask Congress for a supplemental bill to fund Hurricane Helene relief efforts, suggesting lawmakers may have to return from their lengthy election recess to pass it.

© Gerald Herbert, Associated Press

Biden said it’s his “expectation” to ask for a supplemental funding bill, but that he didn’t have a price tag for it yet, adding “this is a historic storm, its devastating.”   When asked if he would ask Congress to return from recess, he said, “that is something I may have to request, but no decisions are made yet.”   Congress left Thursday for recess, and the House and Senate aren’t expected to return until Nov. 12, after Election Day.   Congress passed a three-month stopgap last week, which did not include $10 billion in additional funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) disaster relief fund that was in the Republicans’ original six-month funding bill.   The legislation did include a provision that allows FEMA to use resources faster for disaster response over the next three months.   Biden also said Monday he plans to go to North Carolina as soon as Wednesday to access the storm damage, stressing that he doesn’t want to go too quickly and disrupt relief efforts. Meanwhile, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), in whose state the storm first made landfall, also called on Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on Monday to reconvene the Senate. https://thehill.com/newsletters/energy-environment/4907908-biden-may-call-congress-back-for-hurricane-helene-relief-funding/