Frelinghuysen leads $36.5B hurricane, wildfire relief funding bill to committee approval

U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) shepherded a bill through the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday that would dedicate $36.5 billion in emergency funding to hurricane and wildfire disaster relief.

The emergency funding bill, which mirrors the Trump administration’s funding requests, would direct $18.7 billion to the Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Relief Fund, $576.5 million to wildfire response efforts and $16 billion to the National Flood Insurance Program to ensure that insurance payments can be made to policyholders.

The House is scheduled to vote on the measure on Thursday.

“These funds are urgently needed to get resources to families and communities that are still suffering,” Frelinghuysen, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said. “This legislation will continue immediate relief efforts, and help jumpstart the rebuilding process. The bill also will provide recovery funds for this season’s devastating wildfires in the west.”

A series of hurricanes have taken a toll on the United States and Caribbean, while wildfires have ravaged California and other western states.

The measure also includes a provision that would give low-income residents of Puerto Rico access to the Disaster Nutrition Assistance Program that other areas affected by hurricanes already have access to.

The bill would provide funding that is needed immediately, Frelinghuysen added, but recovery efforts in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Texas and Florida are ongoing and could require additional assistance in the future.

“My committee will be vigilant in overseeing these funds and will continually monitor this crisis and stands ready to provide the necessary funding to get these communities back on their feet,” Frelinghuysen said.