President Biden asks Congress for $98 billion in disaster relief

House and Senate leaders say they will work together to consider President Biden's $98 billion request for natural disaster relief funding.

House and Senate leaders say they will work together to consider President Biden's $98 billion request for natural disaster relief funding.

House and Senate leaders say that they will work together to approve funding for natural disaster recovery. The largest share of Biden's $98 billion request will go to Fema's disaster relief fund helping those dealing with hurricane Helene. Milton and other weather events. The rest aids farmers community grants, repairing highways and bridges and low interest loans for small businesses. Though lawmakers plan work together and approve the money before the end of the year. Republicans have promised cuts to federal spending, putting portions of bt's request up for debate. I come from hurricane state. I know how important it is, but there's *** deliberate process that, you know, we go through and we'll start that in earnest hope the speaker honors that commitment and works with Democrats to get disaster *** done as soon as we can. We should not kick the can down the road nor withhold vital resources, natural disasters, particularly the recent hurricanes. Helene and Milton will be the focus on Capitol Hill. Today, Fema's administrator will be testifying before two Republican led committees in Washington. I'm Amy Lowe.

President Biden asks Congress for $98 billion in disaster relief

House and Senate leaders say they will work together to consider President Biden's $98 billion request for natural disaster relief funding.

Congress is reviewing President Biden's $98 billion request for natural disaster relief funding, focusing on hurricanes Helene and Milton, as well as other weather-related events.The largest share of Biden's request would go to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief fund, while the remaining portion would go to farmers, community grants repairing highways and bridges, and low-interest loans for small businesses.The steep price tag for the request comes after Congress ignored Biden's request for more FEMA money last year, which would have gone toward flooding in Vermont, wildfires in Hawaii, and other 2023 disasters.Several lawmakers, particularly Democrats, have signaled that they plan to work and approve the money before the end of the year."I hope the Speaker honors that commitment and works with Democrats to get disaster aid done as soon as we can," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said. "We should not kick the can down the road nor withhold vital resources."But Republicans have promised major cuts to federal spending, putting portions of Biden's request up for debate."I come from a hurricane state; I know how important that is," House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, said. "But there is a deliberate process that we go through and we'll start that in earnest."Natural disasters, particularly Helene and Milton, will be the focus on Capitol Hill as FEMA's administrator, Deanne Criswell, testifies before two Republican-led committees Tuesday.Criswell will face tough questions over a former employee who told workers, reportedly in Florida, to avoid offering aid to homes with Trump campaign signs.While Criswell says she remains determined to hold employees accountable, she also pushed back on false claims, peddled by President-elect Donald Trump, that the agency was spending disaster relief money on undocumented immigrants. FEMA has separate funds for disaster relief and for helping communities dealing with an influx of migrants.

Congress is reviewing President Biden's $98 billion request for natural disaster relief funding, focusing on hurricanes Helene and Milton, as well as other weather-related events.

The largest share of Biden's request would go to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief fund, while the remaining portion would go to farmers, community grants repairing highways and bridges, and low-interest loans for small businesses.

The steep price tag for the request comes after Congress ignored Biden's request for more FEMA money last year, which would have gone toward flooding in Vermont, wildfires in Hawaii, and other 2023 disasters.

Several lawmakers, particularly Democrats, have signaled that they plan to work and approve the money before the end of the year.

"I hope the Speaker honors that commitment and works with Democrats to get disaster aid done as soon as we can," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said. "We should not kick the can down the road nor withhold vital resources."

But Republicans have promised major cuts to federal spending, putting portions of Biden's request up for debate.

"I come from a hurricane state; I know how important that is," House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, said. "But there is a deliberate process that we go through and we'll start that in earnest."

Natural disasters, particularly Helene and Milton, will be the focus on Capitol Hill as FEMA's administrator, Deanne Criswell, testifies before two Republican-led committees Tuesday.

Criswell will face tough questions over a former employee who told workers, reportedly in Florida, to avoid offering aid to homes with Trump campaign signs.

While Criswell says she remains determined to hold employees accountable, she also pushed back on false claims, peddled by President-elect Donald Trump, that the agency was spending disaster relief money on undocumented immigrants. FEMA has separate funds for disaster relief and for helping communities dealing with an influx of migrants.

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