The House today approved legislation to provide relief and recovery assistance for Americans affected by recent hurricanes, typhoons, wildfires, and other natural disasters. To ensure that the funding provided in the bill can be used to immediately assist disaster victims, the legislation also included a Continuing Resolution to reopen the federal government through February 8.
“We all want to ensure that American families and communities have the resources they need to recover from recent natural disasters. And, to allow federal agencies to begin carrying out the vital work that we are funding in this bill, we must reopen the federal government," House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita M. Lowey said. “This legislation is a critical first step to meeting our fellow citizens’ urgent needs as they recover from recent disasters, and I urge the Senate to pass it without delay."
After floor amendments, the legislation provides $14.17 billion in emergency spending. It includes $3.07 billion for infrastructure and economic and community development, $2.54 billion for resiliency funding to mitigate damage from future disasters that are accelerating in number due to climate change, $3.76 billion in assistance to farmers and rural communities, $1.46 billion for the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to repair and reconstruct damaged facilities, $720 million to repay non-fire accounts for wildland fire activities, $703 million for nutrition and Medicaid assistance to Puerto Rico, the Northern Marianas, Guam, and American Samoa, and $555 million for social services, mental health, education, and dislocated worker activities.
For the text of H.R. 268, please visit:
Source: U.S. Department of HCA
