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House Speaker Mike Johnson firmly rejected the idea of reconvening Congress to approve additional funding for hurricane relief, asserting that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) already has sufficient resources. Speaking on CBS’ “Face the Nation” with Margaret Brennan, Johnson responded to bipartisan calls for Congress to end its recess early, pointing to the recent $20 billion allocation to FEMA, made just before Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina and other states. Johnson emphasized that only a small portion of those funds has been used so far, criticizing FEMA for inefficiency. “We need FEMA to do its job,” Johnson said, highlighting the typical process where states assess damage and then request further assistance from Congress based on those assessments.
When Brennan noted that FEMA’s director reported $9 billion of the funds had already been spent, Johnson clarified that while some funds have been obligated, the actual distribution remains low as rescue and recovery efforts continue. He reassured that the pre-Helene funding is ample, dismissing claims that Congress needs to act immediately. Johnson also touched on misleading accusations from former President Trump and his supporters that hurricane relief funds were being used for migrant care, a claim disproven by factual evidence.
Johnson further explained the procedural complexities of disaster funding, emphasizing that Congress cannot allocate resources based solely on estimated damages. He stressed that sufficient funds had been provided to FEMA before Helene’s impact, countering previous comments from Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who suggested more funds might be needed for the remainder of the hurricane season.
This situation underscores both FEMA’s response challenges and the political intricacies of disaster management and funding as communities work to recover from Hurricane Helene.
