Last week, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., introduced the “Disaster Relief Fund Replenishment Act” with U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., as one of the two co-sponsors.
The bill ensures theFederal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) “has sufficient resources to continue ongoing disaster response and is prepared for unforeseen major disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, and other events.”
Rubio’s office pointed the blame for the problem at the Biden administration.
“The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) responds to major disasters through assistance to individuals, households, and non-federal government entities. The DRF is expected to run out of funds during the first week of August, in the middle of the 2023 hurricane season. The Biden administration has failed to take the necessary steps to ensure that the federal government is prepared to respond to natural disasters in a timely and effective manner,” Rubio’s office noted. “If Congress doesn’t act to prevent a shortfall in the DRF, there will be no funds for unforeseen major disasters until the end of the fiscal year.”
Rubio mirrored that line of attack at the end of last week.
“Congress cannot allow the Biden administration to use disaster funding as a bargaining chip, doing so puts countless vulnerable communities at risk. Our communities deserve better than this. It’s time for Congress to act and provide FEMA with the funding they need for disaster relief,” said Rubio.
“Floridians know that responding to natural disasters is a team effort, which requires every level of government to be ready to assist families in need at a moment’s notice. This good bill will ensure the federal government can uphold its obligation to quickly deploy emergency funding and resources to communities and Americans impacted by natural disasters,” said Scott.
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., is also co-sponsoring the bill.
The bill was sent to the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee last week. So far, there is no companion measure in the U.S. House.
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