White House Wants $100 Billion for Disaster Relief

The White House is asking for $98.6 billion in emergency disaster relief funding following multiple hurricanes this fall. Roll Call says the administration wants a comprehensive package that extends back to unmet needs from prior disasters, encompassing requests the White House made over a year ago. The largest piece of the funding, $40 billion, would restore the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s dwindling fund for immediate disaster response needs. Another $21 billion would allow USDA to compensate farmers and ranchers for crop and livestock losses. “From rebuilding homes and reopening critical infrastructure to supporting the nation’s farmers and ranchers and ensuring access to healthcare services, impacted communities await your response,” President Biden wrote in a letter to Congress. “There can be no delay.” Congress will decide how much to appropriate and whether to attach the package to a stopgap measure that may be needed to avoid a partial government shutdown after December 20.