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EXCLUSIVE: Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., criticizes the Biden administration’s response to Hurricane Helene, whereas warning that the value tag for restoration could possibly be “one of the costly” the U.S. has ever seen.
“There have been some fairly ominous predictions, and so Congress acted appropriately,” Johnson instructed Fox Information Digital on Friday night, noting that lawmakers had appropriated about $20 billion in fast funding for FEMA in final month’s federal short-term funding invoice. “However to this point, (President Biden, Vice President Harris and Homeland Safety Secretary Mayorkas) have failed in that response.”
Johnson stated he was “alarmed and upset” by feedback from Biden officers instantly after the storm, which prompt FEMA was underfunded to cope with Helene’s anger.
Mayorkas stated earlier this week that “we’re assembly the fast wants” of the hurricane, however stated that “FEMA doesn’t have the sources to get by the season.”
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Speaker Mike Johnson spoke to Fox Information Digital after touring areas in Florida and Georgia affected by Hurricane Helene. (Getty Photographs)
Biden prompt earlier this week that he might want Congress to return for an emergency session to cross a supplemental catastrophe reduction invoice.
“They do their greatest to cover their obtrusive errors and errors. And there may be an try and blame others or blame circumstances, when that is purely a scarcity of management and response,” the speaker stated. He famous that Mayorkas stated in July that FEMA was “extraordinarily ready” for climate crises this yr. Fox Information Digital has reached out to the White Home and DHS for remark.
Johnson additionally argued that lawmakers couldn’t act till an evaluation by state and native authorities offered projections of how a lot needs to be allotted.
“I do not assume these estimates can probably be accomplished till 30 days – till after the election, after which Congress will reconvene,” he stated.
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The Republican chief isn’t any stranger to hurricanes. He famous that his native Louisiana continues to be coping with the harm from Hurricane Katrina, however his prediction was dire when requested about the price of restoration after Helene ravaged the Southeast, killing greater than 200 individuals.
He stated it could possibly be “one of many costliest storms the nation has ever seen.”
“It impacts not less than six states – a broad swath of destruction throughout many, many areas – and I feel that is why it should take some time to evaluate this,” Johnson stated.
Johnson criticized President Biden’s response to the storm. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP by way of Getty Photographs)
“As soon as these figures are recognized, Congress will likely be ready to take motion,” Johnson promised at one other level.
“I definitely hope that the federal government is now working additional time to assist them put together.”
As a part of his fast response efforts, Johnson has toured areas in Georgia and Florida ravaged by the storm, and he is able to go to hard-hit North Carolina within the coming days, he stated.
Criticism of FEMA’s response has prompted some conservatives to accuse the Biden administration of diverting catastrophe reduction funds to assist unlawful immigrants on the border by the Shelter and Providers Program (SSP), which helped about 650 previously fiscal yr million {dollars} was allotted.
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Each the White Home and the Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) have strongly denied any connection between catastrophe reduction and SSP apart from that they’re administered by FEMA, and have stated that claims that catastrophe reduction {dollars} are getting used to assist migrant housing companies are false are.
“No catastrophe reduction funding was used in any respect to assist migrant housing and companies. No. In no way,” White Home deputy press secretary Andrew Bates stated in a memo on Friday. “In truth, funding for communities to assist migrants is allotted on to CBP by Congress, and administered solely by FEMA. The funding is under no circumstances associated to FEMA’s response and restoration efforts.”
Johnson didn’t present a definitive reply when requested concerning the considerations echoed on the correct, however he accused Mayorkas of mismanaging DHS.
Houses within the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, October 2, 2024, in Chimney Rock Village, NC (AP Photograph/Mike Stewart)
“There may be a number of controversy concerning the nonsense that Mayorkas Division of Homeland Safety has engaged in. With their … harmful open borders coverage after which the relocation efforts by taking unlawful aliens and transporting them throughout the nation,” Johnson stated. . “We labored daily, Republicans within the Home of Representatives, to cease the insanity.
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“And so what occurred is that FEMA, as a result of it is a division of DHS, could be very clear that they should give attention to serving to Individuals recuperate from disasters and never on squeezing sources going to different applications that focus on unlawful immigrants.”
When requested about DHS’s means to transform congressionally appropriated catastrophe reduction funding into SSP, Johnson stated, “There are totally different applications which have totally different funding.”
He identified that Republicans within the Home of Representatives try to intestine the SSP program within the present federal funding discussions for the 2025 fiscal yr.
“We’re doing the whole lot in our energy to stop this abuse of the regulation and the misuse of taxpayer {dollars} from the White Home and the Democratic Get together,” Johnson stated.
Adam Shaw of Fox Information Digital contributed to this report
Elizabeth Elkind is a political reporter for Fox Information Digital, main protection of the Home of Representatives. Earlier digital bylines seen at Each day Mail and CBS Information.
Comply with on Twitter at @liz_elkind and ship tricks to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
