FEMA's Budget Can't Weather Another Hurricane

Hurricane season doesn't wrap up until Nov. 30, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency's budget may not make it until then. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Wednesday that the agency is "meeting the immediate needs" after Hurricane Helene with the funds it currently has. But "we are expecting another hurricane hitting—we do not have the funds, FEMA does not have the funds, to make it through the season." The AP reports Mayorkas did not detail how much additional money FEMA might need. Getting lawmakers to approve an emergency spending package is problematic in that Congress is not in session.

The New York Times reports that despite a bipartisan group of 12 senators from impacted states asking in an open letter Tuesday that their colleagues be ready to return from recess to approve more FEMA funding, House Speaker Mike Johnson largely shut the door on that Wednesday. He said lawmakers would not return to Washington prior to the November election, and that there would be little point to them doing so. "We wouldn't even conceivably have the request ready before we get back in November," Johnson said, explaining it will take some time to estimate recovery and rebuilding costs. "There's no necessity for Congress to come back."

The Hill reports Johnson added that the FEMA funding included in last week's stopgap spending bill will allow for a sufficient response to Helene. The AP elaborates, reporting the bill allocated $20 billion for the agency's disaster relief fund and gave FEMA the ability to draw on the money more quickly as needed. More than 150,000 households affected by Helene have already registered for FEMA assistance. (More Hurricane Helene stories.)