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President Biden ordered 500 additional active-duty troops to support on-the-ground efforts; 1,500 troops now mobilized to assist National Guard and Federal personnel

Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’s direction, the Administration continues to mobilize a robust, intensive, and whole-of-government response to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. As life-saving response efforts continue in heavily impacted areas, the Administration is also working to ensure communities across the Southeast have prompt access to Federal resources that will enable them to both purchase essential items and begin their road to recovery and rebuilding.

Today, in response to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s request for additional support, President Biden ordered that another 500 active-duty troops move into Western North Carolina. With a total of 1,500 troops now supplementing a robust on-the-ground effort – including more than 6,100 National Guardsmen and more than 7,000 Federal personnel – the Biden-Harris Administration is mobilizing all relevant resources to support families as they begin their road to rebuilding.

The Administration has already helped thousands of Hurricane Helene survivors jumpstart their recoveries with more than $137 million in Federal assistance – with more to come. Over the last several days, the Administration has contacted nearly 450 state, city, and county officials in impacted states to ensure they have the support and resources they need. 

The Administration is committed to ensuring that all communities receive accurate information that is essential to their recovery. The Administration, including FEMA, has been tracking and combatting the significant amount of false information circulating online related to the Federal response – which can discourage people from seeking critical and life-saving assistance. The Administration is actively working to identify and combat this misinformation and disinformation and support survivors in every possible way. 

President Biden and Vice President Harris have traveled throughout the Southeast this week to meet with impacted communities and, during their travels, have reaffirmed that the Administration will be with impacted communities every step of the way, no matter how long it takes, to ensure they have the support and resources they need to recover and rebuild. While there is a long way to go on the road to full recovery and rebuilding, Republican and Democratic leaders from across the country have praised the Administration’s well-coordinated response and surge of resources in the aftermath of Helene’s landfall – including South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, and Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer.

Additionally, the Federal government is closely monitoring Tropical Storm Milton in the Gulf of Mexico, which has the potential to have significant impacts along the West coast of the Florida Peninsula by mid-next week. Residents in Florida should remain alert, listen to local officials, and make additional preparations as needed.

Additional updates on the Federal response include: 

Active-Duty Service Members Delivering Life-Saving Supplies to North Carolinians

In response to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s request for additional support, today President Biden directed another 500 troops move into Western North Carolina. These troops have advanced technological assets to provide greater situational awareness on the ground and will assist with future resource planning across the region. These additional 500 troops supplement the nearly 1,000 soldiers from Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, who have already been mobilized through the Department of Defense and in coordination with FEMA to support the residents and affected counties in Western North Carolina.

In support of the state and North Carolina National Guard, these active-duty troops are focusing their efforts on moving valuable commodities—like food and water—to distribution sites, getting those commodities to survivors in areas that are hard to reach. They are also working on road stabilization and route clearance activities. 

In addition, the Department of Defense is providing rotary wing assets from the Army and Navy for personnel movement and commodity distribution across the affected region. Fixed and rotary wing assets from the Air Force are conducting search and rescue activities.  

The US Army Corps of Engineers has established 12 Emergency Operations Centers across the southeast, with three in North Carolina. The Army Corps of Engineers also has emergency power teams conducting assessments in North Carolina and Georgia as well as water/wastewater assessments, bridge and road inspections, and debris removal efforts in North Carolina and Florida.

Over 6,000 National Guard personnel from 18 States are spearheading the response effort across the impacted region, providing critical life-saving and life-sustaining support to the victims of this unprecedented natural disaster.  

Supporting On-The-Ground Response Efforts

The Biden-Harris Administration is actively working alongside state, local and Tribal partners to assess damage and support those affected by the disaster. 

The Federal government has already helped thousands of Hurricane Helene survivors jumpstart their recoveries with more than $137 million in federal assistance. More than 7,000 personnel from across the Federal workforce are deployed, including U.S. Forest Service Saw Teams to help clear debris in remote areas. To date, FEMA has shipped over 14.9 million meals, more than 13.9 million liters of water, more than 505,000 tarps to the region, and installed 157 generators at critical facilities such as hospitals and water treatment plants.

President Biden has approved 100 percent Federal cost share for Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. This means that the Federal government will cover 100 percent of the costs associated with things like debris removal, first responders, search and rescue, shelters, and mass feeding.

Disaster survivors in certain areas of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia can begin their recovery process by applying for federal assistance through FEMA. People with damage to their homes or personal property who live in the designated areas should apply for assistance, which may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula, breastfeeding supplies and other emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay. Homeowners and renters with damage to their home or personal property from previous disasters, whether they received FEMA funds or not, are still eligible to apply for and receive assistance for Hurricane Helene.   

Repairing Roads and Re-Establishing Critical Routes 

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced the immediate availability of $100 million in Emergency Relief funds for the North Carolina Department of Transportation to help pay for the costs of immediate emergency work resulting from Hurricane Helene flood damage. The Department also announced $32 million for the Tennessee Department of Transportation. This is in addition to the $2 million announced for use by the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

These funds will allow the states to act more quickly to fund eligible repairs to their damaged facilities. FHWA’s Emergency Relief program provides funding to states, territories, Tribes, and Federal Land Management Agencies for highways and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events. These Emergency Relief funds, provided through the “quick release” process, are an initial installment of funds toward restoring this essential transportation link. Additional funds needed to repair damage will be supported by the Emergency Relief program through nationwide funding allocations.

Restoring Power and Critical Communications 

As of this morning, approximately 384,000 customers are without power, down more than 91 percent from the region-wide peak of 4.6 million on September 27. At least 50,000 personnel from 41 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada are responding to power outages in the Southeast and Appalachia.

Additionally, FirstNet, an independent agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration, has been instrumental in providing critical communication support during Hurricane Helene. The FirstNet Response Operations Group deployed 19 SatCOLTs (light trucks with mounted cellular towers) and numerous portable cellular sites to the hardest-hit areas, including North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. So far, FirstNet has provided cell service and internet access to over 75,000 first responders and survivors affected by the storm, while power and connectivity is being restored.

Calling on Congress to Provide More Disaster Assistance to Communities 

President Biden wrote a letter to Congressional leaders calling on them to provide more funding for disaster relief efforts. President Biden warned that most urgently, the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) disaster loan program will run out of funding in a matter of weeks and well before the Congress is planning to reconvene. Small businesses and individuals in affected areas depend on disaster loans as a critical lifeline during difficult times. In fact, for individual disaster survivors, SBA loans are often the largest source of Federal disaster recovery funds. Renters and homeowners use these loans to repair and rebuild their homes as well as replace or repair damaged property including their personal vehicles, while businesses use them to cover basic operating expenses. President Biden urged the Congress to restore this funding immediately. SBA is already receiving over 3,000 loan applications a day from people affected by Hurricane Helene.

The President also warned that, while FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund has the resources it requires right now to meet immediate needs, the fund does face a shortfall at the end of the year. Without additional funding, FEMA would be required to forego longer-term recovery activities in favor of meeting urgent needs. He called on the Congress to provide FEMA additional resources to avoid forcing that kind of unnecessary trade-off and to give the communities we serve the certainty of knowing that help will be ongoing, both for the short- and long-term.

Administration’s Ongoing Response Efforts Supplement Significant Pre-Landfall Preparations

The Biden-Harris Administration took significant steps and made extensive preparations prior to Helene making landfall. Two days in advance of Helene making landfall on September 26, the Administration began preparations in coordination with State and local partners. 

On September 24, FEMA stood up their National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) at FEMA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., charged with monitoring the storm’s track and coordinating national-level emergency response teams. FEMA Region V also activated its Regional Response Coordination Center in Atlanta on September 24, gathering personnel to monitor the storm on the ground close to the anticipated impact and begin planning a response and deployed Incident Management Teams to state Emergency Operations Centers in the storm’s path to coordinate and speed Federal support to response operations.

At the President’s direction, 1,500 Federal personnel were deployed to the region, including 14 Urban Search and Rescue teams (940 personnel) to potentially affected states, including eight teams to Florida; two teams to Georgia; and four teams to North Carolina and FEMA setup up an incident support base in coordination with the 42d Air Base Wing at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. 

The Federal government pre-staged in the region:

• More than 2.7 million meals, 1.6 million liters of water, 50,000 tarps, 10,000 cots, and 20,000 blankets to support sheltering needs in impacted communities;
• Tanker trucks with 70,000 gallons of diesel fuel and 40,000 gallons of gasoline to surge to impacted communities once the storm passed to help alleviate any fuel shortages; and;
• Hundreds of ambulances to assist with the movement of any patients out of impacted hospitals or other facilities.

In advance of landfall, President Biden approved five Governors’ Emergency Declaration requests for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina prior to Helene’s landfall. He also immediately approved Emergency Declaration requests that the Governors of Tennessee and Virginia submitted shortly after landfall. These declarations authorized FEMA to reimburse State and local jurisdictions for costs incurred for pre-storm emergency measures including: evacuating and sheltering residents, search and rescue operations, sandbagging, covering costs associated with Emergency Operation Centers, and first responder activation.

###

The post FACT SHEET: UPDATE: Biden-Harris Administration Sparing No Resource to Support Communities Impacted by Hurricane Helene appeared first on The White House.

President Biden ordered 500 additional active-duty troops to support on-the-ground efforts; 1,500 troops now mobilized to assist National Guard and Federal personnel

Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’s direction, the Administration continues to mobilize a robust, intensive, and whole-of-government response to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. As life-saving response efforts continue in heavily impacted areas, the Administration is also working to ensure communities across the Southeast have prompt access to Federal resources that will enable them to both purchase essential items and begin their road to recovery and rebuilding.

Today, in response to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s request for additional support, President Biden ordered that another 500 active-duty troops move into Western North Carolina. With a total of 1,500 troops now supplementing a robust on-the-ground effort – including more than 6,100 National Guardsmen and more than 7,000 Federal personnel – the Biden-Harris Administration is mobilizing all relevant resources to support families as they begin their road to rebuilding.

The Administration has already helped thousands of Hurricane Helene survivors jumpstart their recoveries with more than $137 million in Federal assistance – with more to come. Over the last several days, the Administration has contacted nearly 450 state, city, and county officials in impacted states to ensure they have the support and resources they need. 

The Administration is committed to ensuring that all communities receive accurate information that is essential to their recovery. The Administration, including FEMA, has been tracking and combatting the significant amount of false information circulating online related to the Federal response – which can discourage people from seeking critical and life-saving assistance. The Administration is actively working to identify and combat this misinformation and disinformation and support survivors in every possible way. 

President Biden and Vice President Harris have traveled throughout the Southeast this week to meet with impacted communities and, during their travels, have reaffirmed that the Administration will be with impacted communities every step of the way, no matter how long it takes, to ensure they have the support and resources they need to recover and rebuild. While there is a long way to go on the road to full recovery and rebuilding, Republican and Democratic leaders from across the country have praised the Administration’s well-coordinated response and surge of resources in the aftermath of Helene’s landfall – including South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, and Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer.

Additionally, the Federal government is closely monitoring Tropical Storm Milton in the Gulf of Mexico, which has the potential to have significant impacts along the West coast of the Florida Peninsula by mid-next week. Residents in Florida should remain alert, listen to local officials, and make additional preparations as needed.

Additional updates on the Federal response include: 

Active-Duty Service Members Delivering Life-Saving Supplies to North Carolinians

In response to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s request for additional support, today President Biden directed another 500 troops move into Western North Carolina. These troops have advanced technological assets to provide greater situational awareness on the ground and will assist with future resource planning across the region. These additional 500 troops supplement the nearly 1,000 soldiers from Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, who have already been mobilized through the Department of Defense and in coordination with FEMA to support the residents and affected counties in Western North Carolina.

In support of the state and North Carolina National Guard, these active-duty troops are focusing their efforts on moving valuable commodities—like food and water—to distribution sites, getting those commodities to survivors in areas that are hard to reach. They are also working on road stabilization and route clearance activities. 

In addition, the Department of Defense is providing rotary wing assets from the Army and Navy for personnel movement and commodity distribution across the affected region. Fixed and rotary wing assets from the Air Force are conducting search and rescue activities.  

The US Army Corps of Engineers has established 12 Emergency Operations Centers across the southeast, with three in North Carolina. The Army Corps of Engineers also has emergency power teams conducting assessments in North Carolina and Georgia as well as water/wastewater assessments, bridge and road inspections, and debris removal efforts in North Carolina and Florida.

Over 6,000 National Guard personnel from 18 States are spearheading the response effort across the impacted region, providing critical life-saving and life-sustaining support to the victims of this unprecedented natural disaster.  

Supporting On-The-Ground Response Efforts

The Biden-Harris Administration is actively working alongside state, local and Tribal partners to assess damage and support those affected by the disaster. 

The Federal government has already helped thousands of Hurricane Helene survivors jumpstart their recoveries with more than $137 million in federal assistance. More than 7,000 personnel from across the Federal workforce are deployed, including U.S. Forest Service Saw Teams to help clear debris in remote areas. To date, FEMA has shipped over 14.9 million meals, more than 13.9 million liters of water, more than 505,000 tarps to the region, and installed 157 generators at critical facilities such as hospitals and water treatment plants.

President Biden has approved 100 percent Federal cost share for Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. This means that the Federal government will cover 100 percent of the costs associated with things like debris removal, first responders, search and rescue, shelters, and mass feeding.

Disaster survivors in certain areas of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia can begin their recovery process by applying for federal assistance through FEMA. People with damage to their homes or personal property who live in the designated areas should apply for assistance, which may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula, breastfeeding supplies and other emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay. Homeowners and renters with damage to their home or personal property from previous disasters, whether they received FEMA funds or not, are still eligible to apply for and receive assistance for Hurricane Helene.   

Repairing Roads and Re-Establishing Critical Routes 

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced the immediate availability of $100 million in Emergency Relief funds for the North Carolina Department of Transportation to help pay for the costs of immediate emergency work resulting from Hurricane Helene flood damage. The Department also announced $32 million for the Tennessee Department of Transportation. This is in addition to the $2 million announced for use by the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

These funds will allow the states to act more quickly to fund eligible repairs to their damaged facilities. FHWA’s Emergency Relief program provides funding to states, territories, Tribes, and Federal Land Management Agencies for highways and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events. These Emergency Relief funds, provided through the “quick release” process, are an initial installment of funds toward restoring this essential transportation link. Additional funds needed to repair damage will be supported by the Emergency Relief program through nationwide funding allocations.

Restoring Power and Critical Communications 

As of this morning, approximately 384,000 customers are without power, down more than 91 percent from the region-wide peak of 4.6 million on September 27. At least 50,000 personnel from 41 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada are responding to power outages in the Southeast and Appalachia.

Additionally, FirstNet, an independent agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration, has been instrumental in providing critical communication support during Hurricane Helene. The FirstNet Response Operations Group deployed 19 SatCOLTs (light trucks with mounted cellular towers) and numerous portable cellular sites to the hardest-hit areas, including North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. So far, FirstNet has provided cell service and internet access to over 75,000 first responders and survivors affected by the storm, while power and connectivity is being restored.

Calling on Congress to Provide More Disaster Assistance to Communities 

President Biden wrote a letter to Congressional leaders calling on them to provide more funding for disaster relief efforts. President Biden warned that most urgently, the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) disaster loan program will run out of funding in a matter of weeks and well before the Congress is planning to reconvene. Small businesses and individuals in affected areas depend on disaster loans as a critical lifeline during difficult times. In fact, for individual disaster survivors, SBA loans are often the largest source of Federal disaster recovery funds. Renters and homeowners use these loans to repair and rebuild their homes as well as replace or repair damaged property including their personal vehicles, while businesses use them to cover basic operating expenses. President Biden urged the Congress to restore this funding immediately. SBA is already receiving over 3,000 loan applications a day from people affected by Hurricane Helene.

The President also warned that, while FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund has the resources it requires right now to meet immediate needs, the fund does face a shortfall at the end of the year. Without additional funding, FEMA would be required to forego longer-term recovery activities in favor of meeting urgent needs. He called on the Congress to provide FEMA additional resources to avoid forcing that kind of unnecessary trade-off and to give the communities we serve the certainty of knowing that help will be ongoing, both for the short- and long-term.

Administration’s Ongoing Response Efforts Supplement Significant Pre-Landfall Preparations

The Biden-Harris Administration took significant steps and made extensive preparations prior to Helene making landfall. Two days in advance of Helene making landfall on September 26, the Administration began preparations in coordination with State and local partners. 

On September 24, FEMA stood up their National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) at FEMA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., charged with monitoring the storm’s track and coordinating national-level emergency response teams. FEMA Region V also activated its Regional Response Coordination Center in Atlanta on September 24, gathering personnel to monitor the storm on the ground close to the anticipated impact and begin planning a response and deployed Incident Management Teams to state Emergency Operations Centers in the storm’s path to coordinate and speed Federal support to response operations.

At the President’s direction, 1,500 Federal personnel were deployed to the region, including 14 Urban Search and Rescue teams (940 personnel) to potentially affected states, including eight teams to Florida; two teams to Georgia; and four teams to North Carolina and FEMA setup up an incident support base in coordination with the 42d Air Base Wing at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. 

The Federal government pre-staged in the region:

• More than 2.7 million meals, 1.6 million liters of water, 50,000 tarps, 10,000 cots, and 20,000 blankets to support sheltering needs in impacted communities;
• Tanker trucks with 70,000 gallons of diesel fuel and 40,000 gallons of gasoline to surge to impacted communities once the storm passed to help alleviate any fuel shortages; and;
• Hundreds of ambulances to assist with the movement of any patients out of impacted hospitals or other facilities.

In advance of landfall, President Biden approved five Governors’ Emergency Declaration requests for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina prior to Helene’s landfall. He also immediately approved Emergency Declaration requests that the Governors of Tennessee and Virginia submitted shortly after landfall. These declarations authorized FEMA to reimburse State and local jurisdictions for costs incurred for pre-storm emergency measures including: evacuating and sheltering residents, search and rescue operations, sandbagging, covering costs associated with Emergency Operation Centers, and first responder activation.

###

The post FACT SHEET: UPDATE: Biden-Harris Administration Sparing No Resource to Support Communities Impacted by Hurricane Helene appeared first on The White House.

Since before Hurricane Helene made landfall, my Administration has mobilized an intensive Federal response to ensure impacted communities have the resources and support they need. As part of that ongoing commitment, and in response to Governor Cooper’s request for additional support, today I ordered another 500 active-duty troops with advanced technological assets to move into Western North Carolina and assist with the response and recovery efforts. With a total of 1,500 troops now supplementing a robust on-the-ground effort – including more than 6,100 National Guardsmen and more than 7,000 Federal personnel – my Administration is sparing no resource to support families as they begin their road to rebuilding.
 
Additionally, I have been briefed on Tropical Storm Milton as it strengthens across the Gulf of Mexico and the work my Administration is doing to preposition life-saving resources in advance of the storm. I urge all residents in Florida to listen to local officials and make preparations as needed.
 
As these communities brace for potentially yet another catastrophic storm, and as part of my Administration’s solemn obligation to stand with impacted communities as they rebuild their lives, we will continue working hand-in-hand with local and state leaders – regardless of political party and no matter how long it takes.

###

The post Statement from President Joe Biden on Hurricane Helene Response appeared first on The White House.

Since before Hurricane Helene made landfall, my Administration has mobilized an intensive Federal response to ensure impacted communities have the resources and support they need. As part of that ongoing commitment, and in response to Governor Cooper’s request for additional support, today I ordered another 500 active-duty troops with advanced technological assets to move into Western North Carolina and assist with the response and recovery efforts. With a total of 1,500 troops now supplementing a robust on-the-ground effort – including more than 6,100 National Guardsmen and more than 7,000 Federal personnel – my Administration is sparing no resource to support families as they begin their road to rebuilding.
 
Additionally, I have been briefed on Tropical Storm Milton as it strengthens across the Gulf of Mexico and the work my Administration is doing to preposition life-saving resources in advance of the storm. I urge all residents in Florida to listen to local officials and make preparations as needed.
 
As these communities brace for potentially yet another catastrophic storm, and as part of my Administration’s solemn obligation to stand with impacted communities as they rebuild their lives, we will continue working hand-in-hand with local and state leaders – regardless of political party and no matter how long it takes.

###

The post Statement from President Joe Biden on Hurricane Helene Response appeared first on The White House.

Charlotte Air National Guard Base
Charlotte, North Carolina

4:54 P.M. EDT

 THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, Governor, I want to thank you — General, Administrator.  I came out to talk with the folks who have been doing God’s work on the ground here in the last several days. 

The work that is happening here and that continues really is the best of what we can do to bring federal, state, and local resources together in a way that is coordinated with one purpose and one purpose only, which is bringing relief, support, and help to the people who are most in need and desperate for help and desperate to be seen and heard.

I just spoke with members of the National Guard to thank them.  They, like so many who are on the ground doing this work — whether it be through FEMA, the governor’s office, state offices — they — many of them who are doing this work have been directly hit themselves.  We are talking about people who are leaders, who are from the communities that have been hardest hit. 

And I think we all have to recognize and thank them for the nobility of their work and their calling, which is to leave their home, to leave their families who may need the kind of resources that they can provide.  But they have taken an oath.  They have taken on a job that says to them they must go and help those who are in need, many who may be strangers to them.

So, I came here to find out what’s going on on the ground, to find out what more we can do in terms of federal aid, such as what we announced today, and the federal support we’re giving to Mecklen- — Mecklenburg County in terms of disaster relief — the work that we are doing, which is $100 million to assist with the rebuilding of Interstate 40.  And also, again, just to thank the folks on the ground for what they are doing every day.

And, again, I want to thank you, Governor, Administrator, General, everyone who is here — Colonel — for all you are doing on behalf of everyone in this region and our nation.  You all are doing extraordinary work, and we are forever grateful to you all.  So, thank you. 

     Thank you all.

                               END                 4:56 P.M. EDT 

The post Remarks by Vice President Harris on Hurricane Helene | Charlotte, NC appeared first on The White House.

NC National Guard Operations Building
Charlotte, North Carolina

4:01 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Governor.  And I thank you all, everyone here. 

I’ve talked with many of you within, actually, hours and certainly days of Helene hitting this beautiful state.  And I thank you all for the work you’ve been doing around the clock. 

Administrator, you and I have talked many, many times, and your team on the ground, they’re just doing extraordinary work.  But the work that’s happening here that is so positively impacting so many people is really an example of the best we can do when we bring resources together at the federal, state, and local level and tap into the kind of collegiality that produces results.  And this is the work that you all have been doing.

For the folks who are local, I also know what this means for each of you as a leader — to be a leader at a time that your own homes, your families, your friends, people you know, your community has been directly hit. 

For the folks that work in your various divisions and offices, I know that they’ve been showing up at a moment of need for others, even when their own families and their own homes have been directly impacted.  I think that these moments of crisis bring out some of the best of who we can be and who we are. 

 I’ve been seeing and hearing the stories from here in North Carolina about strangers who are helping each other out, giving people assistance in every way that they need, including shelter, food, and friendship and fellowship.  And — and so, I thank everyone for all the work that they’ve been doing — those who are in the room and those who are out there right now, working around the clock. 

And I’m also here because I wanted to make an announcement that yesterday we added Mecklenburg County to the major disaster declaration.  So, that means that we’re going to be getting substantial resources in to help folks and, in particular, to help them now be able to apply for federal assistance for a range of things that will be including home repair; what folks need in terms of generators, or even just compensation for the generators that they’ve had to buy; the kind of shelter that they’ve had to seek, including hotels.

And federal assistance for these issues is, I know, extremely important, because a lot of folks don’t save for these kinds of emergencies, and when they hit, it takes a real drain on their resources and ability to take care of themselves and their family. 

But, again, I thank everybody here.  I’m looking forward to our briefing. 

And — and I will say that also we are looking forward to working with our congressional partners.  And — and, Congresswoman, you’ve been a great leader to work with your colleagues, as you always do, so that we can get Congress to also issue the resources that FEMA will need to be an active and resourced federal partner with all of you on the ground at the state and local level. 

     And with that, let’s start our briefing. 

                               END                 4:04 P.M. EDT

The post Remarks by Vice President Harris Before Briefing on Hurricane Helene | Charlotte, NC appeared first on The White House.

Charlotte Air National Guard Base
Charlotte, North Carolina

4:54 P.M. EDT

 THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, Governor, I want to thank you — General, Administrator.  I came out to talk with the folks who have been doing God’s work on the ground here in the last several days. 

The work that is happening here and that continues really is the best of what we can do to bring federal, state, and local resources together in a way that is coordinated with one purpose and one purpose only, which is bringing relief, support, and help to the people who are most in need and desperate for help and desperate to be seen and heard.

I just spoke with members of the National Guard to thank them.  They, like so many who are on the ground doing this work — whether it be through FEMA, the governor’s office, state offices — they — many of them who are doing this work have been directly hit themselves.  We are talking about people who are leaders, who are from the communities that have been hardest hit. 

And I think we all have to recognize and thank them for the nobility of their work and their calling, which is to leave their home, to leave their families who may need the kind of resources that they can provide.  But they have taken an oath.  They have taken on a job that says to them they must go and help those who are in need, many who may be strangers to them.

So, I came here to find out what’s going on on the ground, to find out what more we can do in terms of federal aid, such as what we announced today, and the federal support we’re giving to Mecklen- — Mecklenburg County in terms of disaster relief — the work that we are doing, which is $100 million to assist with the rebuilding of Interstate 40.  And also, again, just to thank the folks on the ground for what they are doing every day.

And, again, I want to thank you, Governor, Administrator, General, everyone who is here — Colonel — for all you are doing on behalf of everyone in this region and our nation.  You all are doing extraordinary work, and we are forever grateful to you all.  So, thank you. 

     Thank you all.

                               END                 4:56 P.M. EDT 

The post Remarks by Vice President Harris on Hurricane Helene | Charlotte, NC appeared first on The White House.

NC National Guard Operations Building
Charlotte, North Carolina

4:01 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Governor.  And I thank you all, everyone here. 

I’ve talked with many of you within, actually, hours and certainly days of Helene hitting this beautiful state.  And I thank you all for the work you’ve been doing around the clock. 

Administrator, you and I have talked many, many times, and your team on the ground, they’re just doing extraordinary work.  But the work that’s happening here that is so positively impacting so many people is really an example of the best we can do when we bring resources together at the federal, state, and local level and tap into the kind of collegiality that produces results.  And this is the work that you all have been doing.

For the folks who are local, I also know what this means for each of you as a leader — to be a leader at a time that your own homes, your families, your friends, people you know, your community has been directly hit. 

For the folks that work in your various divisions and offices, I know that they’ve been showing up at a moment of need for others, even when their own families and their own homes have been directly impacted.  I think that these moments of crisis bring out some of the best of who we can be and who we are. 

 I’ve been seeing and hearing the stories from here in North Carolina about strangers who are helping each other out, giving people assistance in every way that they need, including shelter, food, and friendship and fellowship.  And — and so, I thank everyone for all the work that they’ve been doing — those who are in the room and those who are out there right now, working around the clock. 

And I’m also here because I wanted to make an announcement that yesterday we added Mecklenburg County to the major disaster declaration.  So, that means that we’re going to be getting substantial resources in to help folks and, in particular, to help them now be able to apply for federal assistance for a range of things that will be including home repair; what folks need in terms of generators, or even just compensation for the generators that they’ve had to buy; the kind of shelter that they’ve had to seek, including hotels.

And federal assistance for these issues is, I know, extremely important, because a lot of folks don’t save for these kinds of emergencies, and when they hit, it takes a real drain on their resources and ability to take care of themselves and their family. 

But, again, I thank everybody here.  I’m looking forward to our briefing. 

And — and I will say that also we are looking forward to working with our congressional partners.  And — and, Congresswoman, you’ve been a great leader to work with your colleagues, as you always do, so that we can get Congress to also issue the resources that FEMA will need to be an active and resourced federal partner with all of you on the ground at the state and local level. 

     And with that, let’s start our briefing. 

                               END                 4:04 P.M. EDT

The post Remarks by Vice President Harris Before Briefing on Hurricane Helene | Charlotte, NC appeared first on The White House.

Senior Advisor to the President and Communications Director Ben LaBolt, and Director of Digital Strategy Christian Tom

Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’s direction, the Administration has mobilized a robust, intensive, and whole-of-government effort to respond to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. This includes extensive pre-landfall preparations, as well as an immediate surge of additional resources and personnel to impacted communities. More than 6,400 Federal personnel are on the ground, and more than $110 million in Federal assistance has been given to survivors, with more to come. We are sparing no resource as we work to ensure communities across the Southeast have prompt access to Federal resources that will enable them to both purchase essential items and begin their road to recovery and rebuilding.

Unfortunately, as our response and recovery efforts continue, we have seen a large increase in false information circulating online related to the federal response to Hurricane Helene. A number of scam artists, bad-faith actors, and others who want to sow chaos because they think it helps their political interests are promoting disinformation about the recovery effort, including ways to access critical and live-saving resources. This is wrong, dangerous, and it must stop immediately.

Combatting misinformation and disinformation is always important – but it is especially important when responding to disasters like Hurricane Helene. In fact, disinformation after a hurricane or other natural disaster can discourage people from seeking critical assistance when they need it most. It is imperative that we encourage impacted residents to register for FEMA assistance, not discourage it, by allowing falsehoods to spread.

Leaders from across the country, including local, state, and federal elected officials in both parties, are pleading with people to stop sharing “this junk.”

1. CNN: With misinformation swirling in Hurricane Helene’s wake, officials urge residents to ‘stop this conspiracy theory junk’
2. HuffPost: North Carolina Republican Pleads To End Right-Wing Conspiracy Theories About Helene Disaster Recovery
3. The Hill: Tennessee mayor on FEMA attacks post-Helene: ‘Quit spreading those rumors’
4. WVLT: ‘A lot of misinformation’ | Gov. Lee, FEMA address donation rumors

Here are some of the falsehoods being spread online – and the facts we are fighting back with:

FALSEHOOD: Disaster relief funds were used on immigrants in the U.S. illegally.

FACT: No money is being diverted from disaster response needs. None. FEMA’s disaster response efforts and individual assistance is funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a dedicated fund for disaster efforts. Disaster Relief Fund money has not been diverted to other, non-disaster related efforts.

1. Washington Post: No, Biden didn’t take FEMA relief money to use on migrants — but Trump did
2. NBC News: False claims about FEMA disaster funds and migrants pushed by Trump
3. CNN: ‘This is FALSE’: White House responds to Trump’s FEMA disaster relief claims

FALSEHOOD: FEMA is in the process of confiscating Helene survivor property. If I apply for disaster assistance and my land is deemed unlivable, my property will be seized.

FACT: FEMA cannot seize your property or land. Applying for disaster assistance does not grant FEMA or the federal government authority or ownership of your property or land.

1. Verify: No, the government isn’t seizing land in Chimney Rock, N.C., and bulldozing the town

FALSEHOOD: FEMA will only provide $750 to disaster survivors to support their recovery.

FACT: This is a type of assistance that you may be approved for soon after you apply, called Serious Needs Assistance. It is an upfront, flexible payment to help cover essential items like food, water, baby formula, breastfeeding supplies, medication and other emergency supplies. There are other forms of assistance that you may qualify for to receive, and Serious Needs Assistance is an initial payment you may receive while FEMA assesses your eligibility for additional funds. $750 is what is immediately available to eligible survivors. In addition, survivors may qualify for more FEMA financial assistance, including to repair storm-related damage to homes and property, find a temporary place to stay, and receive compensation for lost crops and livestock.

• Verify: No, FEMA isn’t giving people impacted by Hurricane Helene just $750

FALSEHOOD: FEMA and the FAA are restricting air space in North Carolina, preventing private citizens from delivery relief.

FACT: There are no airspace restrictions in place in North Carolina as rescue efforts continue because of Hurricane Helene. Pilots looking to come into Asheville or Rutherford airports need to reach out to the airport for permission to land. The FAA is working with local authorities to ensure rescue efforts happen safely.

• Secretary Buttigieg: No one is shutting down the airspace and FAA doesn’t block legitimate rescue and recovery flights.
• NC Aviation: With a 300% increase in traffic over Western NC, Prior Permission Required is now in place at select airports to ensure safe skies and sustainable operations.

The Biden-Harris Administration continues to work via the official White House digital channels to inform the public of the response and recovery efforts to dispel the misinformation being shared, with higher volume on X than other platforms. Updates will continue to be shared about the volume and scope of federal aid being delivered.

The Biden- Harris Administration is also engaging trusted online publishers and influencers to connect with FEMA as a way to meet people where they are and provide them with accurate information. One example of this partnership includes MeidasTouch: Trump lies instantly debunked by FEMA spokesperson. This digital video resulted in reach across both digital and traditional media, including a local Alabama newspaper combatting misinformation.

In addition, the White House will leverage our opt-in SMS messaging platform to share messages to those in affected areas. SMS is a more resilient form of communication where data connectivity might still be recovering, and this is a further example of using all parts of digital communications to reach people who need information and assistance. 

More information on Hurricane Helene falsehoods and facts can be found here: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/current/hurricane-helene/rumor-response

###

The post Interested Parties Memo: Fighting Hurricane Helene Falsehoods with Facts appeared first on The White House.

Senior Advisor to the President and Communications Director Ben LaBolt, and Director of Digital Strategy Christian Tom

Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’s direction, the Administration has mobilized a robust, intensive, and whole-of-government effort to respond to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. This includes extensive pre-landfall preparations, as well as an immediate surge of additional resources and personnel to impacted communities. More than 6,400 Federal personnel are on the ground, and more than $110 million in Federal assistance has been given to survivors, with more to come. We are sparing no resource as we work to ensure communities across the Southeast have prompt access to Federal resources that will enable them to both purchase essential items and begin their road to recovery and rebuilding.

Unfortunately, as our response and recovery efforts continue, we have seen a large increase in false information circulating online related to the federal response to Hurricane Helene. A number of scam artists, bad-faith actors, and others who want to sow chaos because they think it helps their political interests are promoting disinformation about the recovery effort, including ways to access critical and live-saving resources. This is wrong, dangerous, and it must stop immediately.

Combatting misinformation and disinformation is always important – but it is especially important when responding to disasters like Hurricane Helene. In fact, disinformation after a hurricane or other natural disaster can discourage people from seeking critical assistance when they need it most. It is imperative that we encourage impacted residents to register for FEMA assistance, not discourage it, by allowing falsehoods to spread.

Leaders from across the country, including local, state, and federal elected officials in both parties, are pleading with people to stop sharing “this junk.”

1. CNN: With misinformation swirling in Hurricane Helene’s wake, officials urge residents to ‘stop this conspiracy theory junk’
2. HuffPost: North Carolina Republican Pleads To End Right-Wing Conspiracy Theories About Helene Disaster Recovery
3. The Hill: Tennessee mayor on FEMA attacks post-Helene: ‘Quit spreading those rumors’
4. WVLT: ‘A lot of misinformation’ | Gov. Lee, FEMA address donation rumors

Here are some of the falsehoods being spread online – and the facts we are fighting back with:

FALSEHOOD: Disaster relief funds were used on immigrants in the U.S. illegally.

FACT: No money is being diverted from disaster response needs. None. FEMA’s disaster response efforts and individual assistance is funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a dedicated fund for disaster efforts. Disaster Relief Fund money has not been diverted to other, non-disaster related efforts.

1. Washington Post: No, Biden didn’t take FEMA relief money to use on migrants — but Trump did
2. NBC News: False claims about FEMA disaster funds and migrants pushed by Trump
3. CNN: ‘This is FALSE’: White House responds to Trump’s FEMA disaster relief claims

FALSEHOOD: FEMA is in the process of confiscating Helene survivor property. If I apply for disaster assistance and my land is deemed unlivable, my property will be seized.

FACT: FEMA cannot seize your property or land. Applying for disaster assistance does not grant FEMA or the federal government authority or ownership of your property or land.

1. Verify: No, the government isn’t seizing land in Chimney Rock, N.C., and bulldozing the town

FALSEHOOD: FEMA will only provide $750 to disaster survivors to support their recovery.

FACT: This is a type of assistance that you may be approved for soon after you apply, called Serious Needs Assistance. It is an upfront, flexible payment to help cover essential items like food, water, baby formula, breastfeeding supplies, medication and other emergency supplies. There are other forms of assistance that you may qualify for to receive, and Serious Needs Assistance is an initial payment you may receive while FEMA assesses your eligibility for additional funds. $750 is what is immediately available to eligible survivors. In addition, survivors may qualify for more FEMA financial assistance, including to repair storm-related damage to homes and property, find a temporary place to stay, and receive compensation for lost crops and livestock.

• Verify: No, FEMA isn’t giving people impacted by Hurricane Helene just $750

FALSEHOOD: FEMA and the FAA are restricting air space in North Carolina, preventing private citizens from delivery relief.

FACT: There are no airspace restrictions in place in North Carolina as rescue efforts continue because of Hurricane Helene. Pilots looking to come into Asheville or Rutherford airports need to reach out to the airport for permission to land. The FAA is working with local authorities to ensure rescue efforts happen safely.

• Secretary Buttigieg: No one is shutting down the airspace and FAA doesn’t block legitimate rescue and recovery flights.
• NC Aviation: With a 300% increase in traffic over Western NC, Prior Permission Required is now in place at select airports to ensure safe skies and sustainable operations.

The Biden-Harris Administration continues to work via the official White House digital channels to inform the public of the response and recovery efforts to dispel the misinformation being shared, with higher volume on X than other platforms. Updates will continue to be shared about the volume and scope of federal aid being delivered.

The Biden- Harris Administration is also engaging trusted online publishers and influencers to connect with FEMA as a way to meet people where they are and provide them with accurate information. One example of this partnership includes MeidasTouch: Trump lies instantly debunked by FEMA spokesperson. This digital video resulted in reach across both digital and traditional media, including a local Alabama newspaper combatting misinformation.

In addition, the White House will leverage our opt-in SMS messaging platform to share messages to those in affected areas. SMS is a more resilient form of communication where data connectivity might still be recovering, and this is a further example of using all parts of digital communications to reach people who need information and assistance. 

More information on Hurricane Helene falsehoods and facts can be found here: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/current/hurricane-helene/rumor-response

###

The post Interested Parties Memo: Fighting Hurricane Helene Falsehoods with Facts appeared first on The White House.

South Lawn

12:31 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: I’m going to a wedding. The woman running my office is marrying Jill’s policy guy. It’s dangerous to work in our office.

Q What is your message to the families of the hostages ahead of Monday, October — October 7th?

(Cross-talk.)

THE PRESIDENT: I’ve been talk- — I’ll be talking to a bunch of them.

Q Mr. President, have you talked to Netanyahu already?

THE PRESIDENT: No.

12:31 P.M. EDT

The post Remarks by President Biden Before Marine One Departure appeared first on The White House.

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. made additional disaster assistance available to the Commonwealth of Virginia by authorizing an increase in the level of Federal funding for emergency work undertaken in the Commonwealth of Virginia as a result of Tropical Storm Helene beginning on September 25, 2024, and continuing.

Under the President’s order today, Federal funds for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance has been increased to 100 percent of the total eligible costs for a period of 90 days of the Commonwealth’s choosing within the first 120 days from the start of the incident period. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE  FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV

###

The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Amends Virginia Disaster Declaration appeared first on The White House.

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. made additional disaster assistance available to the Commonwealth of Virginia by authorizing an increase in the level of Federal funding for emergency work undertaken in the Commonwealth of Virginia as a result of Tropical Storm Helene beginning on September 25, 2024, and continuing.

Under the President’s order today, Federal funds for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance has been increased to 100 percent of the total eligible costs for a period of 90 days of the Commonwealth’s choosing within the first 120 days from the start of the incident period. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE  FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV

###

The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Amends Virginia Disaster Declaration appeared first on The White House.

Dear Speaker Johnson and Leaders Schumer, McConnell, and Jeffries,

I write to you regarding the needs of the Nation.  As communities across the Southeast devastated by Hurricane Helene assess the extent of the damage, they are expecting their Federal Government to stand behind them in their most urgent time of need.  I have seen firsthand the devastation that Hurricane Helene brought to communities across the Southeast.  During my travels this week to North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia, I met with families, business owners, farmers, local and state officials, and first responders, all of whom shared with me their stories of survival—and resilience.  As leaders, we have a responsibility to ensure that everyone in communities ravaged by natural disasters will have the Federal resources they need and deserve to respond to and recover from deadly storms and other natural disasters.  

My Administration will be with those affected until the job is done, and we have a solemn obligation to provide confidence that the Federal Government will stand with them as they rebuild their lives and their communities.  Furthermore, this responsibility extends to the many communities around the Nation that are still rebuilding from previous disasters.

Over the past 10 days, including in the lead up to Hurricane Helene making landfall, my Administration has provided robust and well-coordinated Federal support for the ongoing response and recovery efforts.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Defense, and other Federal partners have quickly mobilized to support impacted citizens and communities in the six States where major disasters have been declared due to Hurricane Helene:  Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.  They are performing critical life-saving and life-sustaining missions and will continue to do so within present funding levels.  As with other catastrophic disasters, it will take some time to assess the full requirements for response and recovery efforts, and I fully expect that the Congress will do its part to provide the funding needed.

While FEMA has the resources needed for the immediate emergency response phase, at least one other agency does not.  Most urgently, the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) disaster loan program will run out of funding in a matter of weeks and well before the Congress is planning to reconvene.  I warned the Congress of this potential shortfall even before Hurricane Helene landed on America’s shores.  I requested more funding for SBA multiple times over the past several months, and most recently, my Administration underscored that request as you prepared a continuing resolution to fund the Government.  Now the need is even more urgent.  Small businesses and individuals in affected areas depend on disaster loans as a critical lifeline during difficult times.  In fact, for individual disaster survivors, SBA loans are often the largest source of Federal disaster recovery funds.  Renters and homeowners use these loans to repair and rebuild their homes as well as replace or repair damaged property including their personal vehicles, while businesses use them to cover basic operating expenses.  The Congress must act to restore this funding.

In addition, while FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund has the resources it requires right now to meet immediate needs, the fund does face a shortfall at the end of the year.  Without additional funding, FEMA would be required to forego longer-term recovery activities in favor of meeting urgent needs.  The Congress should provide FEMA additional resources to avoid forcing that kind of unnecessary trade-off and to give the communities we serve the certainty of knowing that help will be ongoing, both for the short- and long-term.

As the Congress heeds the call to assist the communities across the Nation recovering from Hurricane Helene, it must remember that many other communities are also in urgent need of disaster assistance.  As recently as this summer, my Administration requested that the Congress provide additional disaster assistance to many communities across America.  Many of the programs we requested to receive additional funding would also help response and recovery efforts related to Hurricane Helene.  This includes funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development to respond to devastating fires in Maui and tornados in Mississippi, Iowa, and Oklahoma as well as funding for the Department of Transportation to support rebuilding roads and bridges across the Nation, including the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.

I urge you to keep faith with those communities and provide the requested additional funding to rebuild housing infrastructure, to support farmers and ranchers with crop losses, to address impacted schools, and to repair damaged Federal highways.  In addition to FEMA’s ongoing support, these are the resources that communities need and deserve to fully respond to and recover from devastating events.

It is critical that Congress ensures that no critical disaster programs, such as the SBA disaster loan program, run out of funding during the Congressional Recess period.  I also urge that after the Congress comes back into session on November 12th, you will act with all appropriate speed and provide comprehensive disaster relief so that the people, families, businesses, and communities affected by Hurricane Helene—as well as those still recovering from past disasters—are not only made whole, but can proceed in a way to make them more resilient in the face of future extreme weather events and other disasters.

My Administration will keep the Congress apprised of efforts to assess the full resource requirements associated with Hurricane Helene, including for long-term rebuilding and resilience efforts, as those estimates become available.  I urge you to assist those impacted by this hurricane and every other disaster since the Congress last passed a comprehensive disaster package in 2022.  We must stand with these communities on their long road to recovery.

Sincerely,

                               JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

The post Letter to Congress on Disaster Needs appeared first on The White House.

Dear Speaker Johnson and Leaders Schumer, McConnell, and Jeffries,

I write to you regarding the needs of the Nation.  As communities across the Southeast devastated by Hurricane Helene assess the extent of the damage, they are expecting their Federal Government to stand behind them in their most urgent time of need.  I have seen firsthand the devastation that Hurricane Helene brought to communities across the Southeast.  During my travels this week to North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia, I met with families, business owners, farmers, local and state officials, and first responders, all of whom shared with me their stories of survival—and resilience.  As leaders, we have a responsibility to ensure that everyone in communities ravaged by natural disasters will have the Federal resources they need and deserve to respond to and recover from deadly storms and other natural disasters.  

My Administration will be with those affected until the job is done, and we have a solemn obligation to provide confidence that the Federal Government will stand with them as they rebuild their lives and their communities.  Furthermore, this responsibility extends to the many communities around the Nation that are still rebuilding from previous disasters.

Over the past 10 days, including in the lead up to Hurricane Helene making landfall, my Administration has provided robust and well-coordinated Federal support for the ongoing response and recovery efforts.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Defense, and other Federal partners have quickly mobilized to support impacted citizens and communities in the six States where major disasters have been declared due to Hurricane Helene:  Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.  They are performing critical life-saving and life-sustaining missions and will continue to do so within present funding levels.  As with other catastrophic disasters, it will take some time to assess the full requirements for response and recovery efforts, and I fully expect that the Congress will do its part to provide the funding needed.

While FEMA has the resources needed for the immediate emergency response phase, at least one other agency does not.  Most urgently, the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) disaster loan program will run out of funding in a matter of weeks and well before the Congress is planning to reconvene.  I warned the Congress of this potential shortfall even before Hurricane Helene landed on America’s shores.  I requested more funding for SBA multiple times over the past several months, and most recently, my Administration underscored that request as you prepared a continuing resolution to fund the Government.  Now the need is even more urgent.  Small businesses and individuals in affected areas depend on disaster loans as a critical lifeline during difficult times.  In fact, for individual disaster survivors, SBA loans are often the largest source of Federal disaster recovery funds.  Renters and homeowners use these loans to repair and rebuild their homes as well as replace or repair damaged property including their personal vehicles, while businesses use them to cover basic operating expenses.  The Congress must act to restore this funding.

In addition, while FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund has the resources it requires right now to meet immediate needs, the fund does face a shortfall at the end of the year.  Without additional funding, FEMA would be required to forego longer-term recovery activities in favor of meeting urgent needs.  The Congress should provide FEMA additional resources to avoid forcing that kind of unnecessary trade-off and to give the communities we serve the certainty of knowing that help will be ongoing, both for the short- and long-term.

As the Congress heeds the call to assist the communities across the Nation recovering from Hurricane Helene, it must remember that many other communities are also in urgent need of disaster assistance.  As recently as this summer, my Administration requested that the Congress provide additional disaster assistance to many communities across America.  Many of the programs we requested to receive additional funding would also help response and recovery efforts related to Hurricane Helene.  This includes funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development to respond to devastating fires in Maui and tornados in Mississippi, Iowa, and Oklahoma as well as funding for the Department of Transportation to support rebuilding roads and bridges across the Nation, including the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.

I urge you to keep faith with those communities and provide the requested additional funding to rebuild housing infrastructure, to support farmers and ranchers with crop losses, to address impacted schools, and to repair damaged Federal highways.  In addition to FEMA’s ongoing support, these are the resources that communities need and deserve to fully respond to and recover from devastating events.

It is critical that Congress ensures that no critical disaster programs, such as the SBA disaster loan program, run out of funding during the Congressional Recess period.  I also urge that after the Congress comes back into session on November 12th, you will act with all appropriate speed and provide comprehensive disaster relief so that the people, families, businesses, and communities affected by Hurricane Helene—as well as those still recovering from past disasters—are not only made whole, but can proceed in a way to make them more resilient in the face of future extreme weather events and other disasters.

My Administration will keep the Congress apprised of efforts to assess the full resource requirements associated with Hurricane Helene, including for long-term rebuilding and resilience efforts, as those estimates become available.  I urge you to assist those impacted by this hurricane and every other disaster since the Congress last passed a comprehensive disaster package in 2022.  We must stand with these communities on their long road to recovery.

Sincerely,

                               JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

The post Letter to Congress on Disaster Needs appeared first on The White House.

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. made additional disaster assistance available to the State of South Carolina by authorizing an increase in the level of Federal funding for emergency work undertaken in the State of South Carolina as a result of Hurricane Helene beginning on September 25, 2024, and continuing.

Under the President’s order today, Federal funds for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance has been increased to 100 percent of the total eligible costs for a period of 90 days of the State’s choosing within the first 120 days from the start of the incident period.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE  FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.

###

The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Amends South Carolina Disaster Declaration appeared first on The White House.

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. made additional disaster assistance available to the State of South Carolina by authorizing an increase in the level of Federal funding for emergency work undertaken in the State of South Carolina as a result of Hurricane Helene beginning on September 25, 2024, and continuing.

Under the President’s order today, Federal funds for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance has been increased to 100 percent of the total eligible costs for a period of 90 days of the State’s choosing within the first 120 days from the start of the incident period.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE  FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.

###

The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Amends South Carolina Disaster Declaration appeared first on The White House.

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists for the San Carlos Apache Tribe ordered federal aid to supplement the Tribal Nation’s efforts in the areas affected by the Watch Fire from July 10 to July 17, 2024.

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals for the San Carlos Apache Tribe.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding also is available to the San Carlos Apache Tribe and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the Watch Fire.

Lastly, Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for the San Carlos Apache Tribe.

Mr. Benigno Ruiz of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the Tribal Nation and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App. Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.

###

The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Disaster Declaration for the San Carlos Apache Tribe appeared first on The White House.

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists for the San Carlos Apache Tribe ordered federal aid to supplement the Tribal Nation’s efforts in the areas affected by the Watch Fire from July 10 to July 17, 2024.

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals for the San Carlos Apache Tribe.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding also is available to the San Carlos Apache Tribe and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the Watch Fire.

Lastly, Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for the San Carlos Apache Tribe.

Mr. Benigno Ruiz of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the Tribal Nation and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App. Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.

###

The post President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Disaster Declaration for the San Carlos Apache Tribe appeared first on The White House.

On Friday, October 4, 2024, the President signed into law:

H.R. 6513, the “Confirmation Of Congressional Observer Access Act of 2024” or the “COCOA Act of 2024,” which requires States to provide designated congressional election observers with full access to observe all elements of the administration of congressional elections.

Thank you to Representatives Carey, Morelle, and Steil for their leadership.

###

The post Press Release: Bill Signed: H.R. 6513 appeared first on The White House.