WASHINGTON, D.C.– The U.S. House today passed legislation introduced by U.S. Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) to provide $36.5 billion in emergency funding for hurricane and wildfire relief and recovery (H.R. 2266) on a vote of 353-69. The bill will now move to the Senate for approval.

The legislation fully funds the funding requests submitted to Congress from the Administration.

It includes $18.7 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund (DRF), $576.5 million for wildfire efforts, and $16 billion for debt relief for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which now needs additional funds to make necessary insurance claims payments to individuals. In addition, the bill includes a provision for the Disaster Nutrition Assistance Program (DNAP) that enables low-income residents in Puerto Rico to receive the same emergency nutrition assistance that other hurricane-affected states already receive.  The legislation also includes $4.9 billion for Community Disaster Loans (CDL) to help address local government challenges in the near term by providing funding for municipal service such as police and fire protection, trash collection and the operation of local schools.

“Millions of Americans have had their lives disrupted by destructive hurricanes and by raging wildfires in the West, said Frelinghuysen, Appropriations Committee Chairman, “We will continue to be with them every step of the way with federal support they will need throughout this recovery process.

“There is clearly massive, unprecedented damage, and more funding is necessary to continue response and recovery efforts and to help these communities rebuild. These emergency funds will address urgent, short-term, immediate priorities and provides assistance that will help our fellow Americans in their time of greatest need.

“We know this will be a long process, and this will certainly not be all that is required over the long term. But this Congress will work with the White House and state and local governments to ensure that assistance will be available.

“I now urge my Senate colleagues to approve this legislation as soon as possible, so these funds can be used immediately for those families and communities that need it most."

The text of the legislation can be found here:http://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20171009/HR____SUPP.pdf