Monday, October 07, 2024

House Speaker Says Congress Can Wait for Helene Damage Needs

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Hurricane Helene's devastation doesn't require immediate action by Congress to boost federal disaster relief funding because it'll take time to assess the damage.

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... Johnson's comments on Fox News Sunday add to a political messaging battle around the storm, which struck states from Florida to western Virginia and left at least 225 people dead.

President Joe Biden's administration is combating online misinformation on the government's disaster response, the White House said in a statement. That includes a "falsehood," advanced by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, that Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster relief funds were diverted to immigrants in the US illegally.

Johnson didn't explicitly address Biden's request last week for lawmakers to speed up authorization of about $1.6 billion for the Small Business Administration to help rebuild from the hurricane. Florida faces another potential hit as Tropical Storm Milton reached hurricane strength on Sunday.

"It takes a while to calculate the actual damages and the states are going to need some time to do that," Johnson said on Fox News Sunday. "You send specific needs and requests based on the actual damages and that takes some time, especially with storms of this magnitude. So Congress will do its job."

Lawmakers are due to return to session on Nov. 12, a week after Election Day. ...


#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-10-07 01:03 PM

Back-to-Back Hurricanes Set to Strain FEMA as Its Funds Run Low
www.bnnbloomberg.ca

... The cash-strapped US Federal Emergency Management Agency is set to be tested by back-to-back major disasters as Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida's Gulf Coast less than two weeks after Helene devastated the Southeast.

"This could result in a signification strain on FEMA's resources," said Daniel Kaniewski, a former deputy administration at the US disaster response agency. "A major hurricane hitting a highly populated area would certainly be a worst case."

Even before Helene struck late last month, killing at least 227 and causing up to $250 billion in damages, FEMA was stretched thin by record-setting wildfires and other extreme weather events. Under financial strain, the agency projected a $3 billion deficit by February.

Although Congress provided FEMA with $20 billion in a temporary government spending bill lasting through Dec. 20, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has warned that the agency doesn't have enough funding to make it through hurricane season. It still has enough to meet immediate needs, Mayorkas said. ...


Note that the It still has enough to meet immediate needs, Mayorkas said. comment was made before Milton had spun up.



#2 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-10-07 04:05 PM

Towns, Cities, County State will make assessments and submit it to the Federal government for long term help.

This is very similar to the FEMA Grants that are in the Shelter Program which fund Immigrant housing. The NGO's supply receipts and apply and they receive their money.

Ergo there's no need to call them in congress, they don't even know how large to make the funding.

Note that the It still has enough to meet immediate needs, Mayorkas said. comment was made before Milton had spun up.

This is irrelevant, he knows there is a potential for more Hurricanes, it would be silly for him to speculate like this ignoring future hurricanes.

What I don't understand is the administration has found funds for Lebanon relief ($157 Million) but little for the immediate needs of Citizens.

The vice president was condemned for announcing around $157 million in additional aid for Lebanon as millions of Americans in the Southeast U.S. who have been left devastated by Hurricane Helene require federal assistance.
www.newsweek.com

It's a bad look regardless of the accounting columns. I don't know why DeSantis is outshining Harris and Biden, its really looking bad.

#3 | Posted by oneironaut at 2024-10-07 05:02 PM

- DeSantis is outshining Harris and Biden

Your brain on meth.

#4 | Posted by Corky at 2024-10-07 07:46 PM

DeSantis was so thoroughly rejected by the Republican voters, it's time for him to fade into obscurity.

#5 | Posted by ClownShack at 2024-10-07 08:06 PM

His exact quote was, "Let them eat paper towels!"

#6 | Posted by Corky at 2024-10-07 08:31 PM

One hopes that finally the electorate has awoken, yes, to the fact that the far right don't give a damn about them other than during elections, as the Trump gang are about taking from the poor and giving to the rich, and the vulnerable sitting outside their hurricane demolished home...not their problem...

#7 | Posted by Hughmass at 2024-10-08 07:22 AM

-DeSantis was so thoroughly rejected by the Republican voters, it's time for him to fade into obscurity.

like remain governor of a southern state?

It's hard to believe that it wasn't that long ago DeSantis was declared more dangerous than Trump.

#8 | Posted by eberly at 2024-10-08 07:27 AM

" It's hard to believe that it wasn't that long ago DeSantis was declared more dangerous than Trump.

POSTED BY EBERLY AT 2024-10-08 07:27 AM | REPLY"

by whom?

#9 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2024-10-08 09:52 AM

One can only wish these voters understood the implications for them but so be it. He wants to let overwhelmingly red areas of red states suffer I am all for it, they will convince themselves it is the right thing and vote for the GOP anyhow.

#10 | Posted by GalaxiePete at 2024-10-08 09:58 AM

If FEMA runs out of money after Milton hits Florida we can just blame it on Harris and the immigrants.

AmIRight maga Maroons?

It's a Win-Win for Losers!

#11 | Posted by donnerboy at 2024-10-08 11:22 AM

" DeSantis is outshining Harris and Biden, its really looking bad."

wHAY PLANET ARE YOU LIVING ON? dESANTIS IS OWNED BY THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY WHICH IS WHY PREMIUMS HERE ARE 4 TIMES WHAT THEY ARE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE u.s. BUT dESANTIS DOESN'T WORK FOR US, HE WORKS FOR THE INSURANCW INDUSTRY. As I've been saying in every thread. It's all about the money! Desantis is just using social issues to fool consevatives so he can assist the insurance industry.

#12 | Posted by danni at 2024-10-08 11:33 AM

Mike Johnson: "Let them eat cake."

#13 | Posted by danni at 2024-10-08 11:43 AM

Despite so many Republicans suggesting that FEMA was running low of funds, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson says that the country will just have to wait until AFTER the election before he'll allow Congress to come back into session to deal with emergency funding for the various government agencies involved in disaster relief efforts. Is this just the border deal all over again, where Republicans would prefer that the problem exists rather than there be an attempt to deal with it? Doesn't Johnson know that in one respect at least, Marjorie Taylor Greene's 'map' was accurate in that the vast majority of the areas impacted by Helene, and now Milton, cover congressional districts held by members of his own party? The additional fact that they're also Americans seem to matter little to him.

OCU

#14 | Posted by OCUser at 2024-10-08 12:45 PM

Jeffy's so desperate he has to lie in multiple personalities.

#15 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2024-10-08 02:05 PM

"It's hard to beli eve that it wasn't that long ago DeSantis was declared more dangerous than Trump."

Desantis is more dangerous to Florida homeowners than Trump Home insurance rates have sky rocketed since that insurance industry pawn became governor, People are losing homes because of it. Realise, if you have a mortgage insurance is not optional. I live in a condo amd our association pays most of the ibsurance costs. we had to raise HOA fees consideraly to pay for the increases this year. Many larger buildibgs have had to assess very large amounts of money from every unit owner and people are losing their homes because of it. Don't worry though Ron (insurarance industry pawn) Desantis is going to hold town hall meetings before he proposes legislation to f**k every condo owner in the state! Republicans can accuse me of being partisan but bothing like this ever happened with Democratic Governors. Starting with the slimy piece of filth Je Bush Florida has changed steadily for the worse. I'm going to sell my condo amd move the hell out of this God damned red state!

#16 | Posted by danni at 2024-10-08 08:16 PM

"I'm going to sell my condo amd move the hell out of this God damned red state!"

GREAT!

#17 | Posted by gracieamazed at 2024-10-08 08:24 PM

... House Speaker Says Congress Can Wait for Helene Damage Needs ...

Will Spkr Johnson change his mind now that Hurricane Milton is bearing down upon Florida?

#18 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-10-08 08:34 PM

by whom?

#9 | Posted by Alexandrite

by virtually everyone on the left when he was a threat to Trump in the primary

#19 | Posted by eberly at 2024-10-08 08:54 PM

in your imagination.

#20 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2024-10-08 09:23 PM

especially you. You were scared to death of DeSantis.

#21 | Posted by eberly at 2024-10-08 09:39 PM

@#21 ... You were scared to death of DeSantis. ...

In my visits to this most august site, I never saw any poster who was "scard to death" of Gov DeSantis.

Indeed, what I did see were people who, the more they knew and learned of Gov DeSantis, the less they liked him.

That seemed to reflect what I saw in the general population of the US as well.

Maybe why he is still the Governor of Florida, and not a candidate for the Oval Office?



#22 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-10-08 10:13 PM

Beverly clings to the idea of relevance.

Reality disagrees.

#23 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2024-10-08 10:30 PM

-I never saw any poster who was "scard to death" of Gov DeSantis.

Yes your alias did. Your alias is completely full of ----.

Now that he isn't a threat to occupying the WH.....your alias wants to pretend you didn't see it nor even expressed it yourself.

What you gonna respond with, other than your cute little "your alias" deflection?

#24 | Posted by eberly at 2024-10-08 10:51 PM

@#24 ... Yes your alias did. ...

Got a link?



#25 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-10-08 11:00 PM

nope. I don't have an original copy of the bill of rights either.

But I've seen it.

#26 | Posted by eberly at 2024-10-08 11:07 PM

@#24 ...Yes your alias did. Your alias is completely full of ----. ...

OK, while i await the link that substantiates the assertion your alias has made, I have other questions.

For starters...

In #22 I stated...

I never saw any poster who was "scard to death" of Gov DeSantis.

In #24, your alias said

Yes your alias did. Your alias is completely full of ----.

I said only that I had not seen any poster make that comment. I did not make that comment.

So, I ask, why is your alias trying to attribute a comment to me that I did not make?

Desperation?

I may have other questions, but let's go with that for now.

For starters, my #22 comment did not say that I had said that "'scard to death' of Gov DeSantis" comment.

#27 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-10-08 11:09 PM

@#26 ... nope. ...

So your alias has got nothing.

That's a shame.



#28 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-10-08 11:14 PM

Let them eat cake moment for good old magat mike.

Make the people who have lost everything suffer to fuel their outrage to benefit putins butt bitch.

#29 | Posted by Nixon at 2024-10-09 06:24 AM

I don't know why DeSantis is outshining Harris and Biden,

Because you're a russian troll and you're reading a script.

#30 | Posted by Nixon at 2024-10-09 06:27 AM

It does follow a predictable pattern of regurgitating the same Kremlin talking points. I wonder how these trolls are paid. By the post? Hourly? Salary? How does Putin measure their job performance?

#31 | Posted by AlternateFacts at 2024-10-09 12:52 PM

-Desperation?

The only desperation is you trying to suggest I'm a sock puppet account.

#32 | Posted by eberly at 2024-10-09 03:43 PM

-So your alias has got nothing.

I have the truth.

But no proof.

#33 | Posted by eberly at 2024-10-09 03:44 PM

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