The House Appropriations Committee today received a new request from the White House for emergency funding for hurricane recovery and wildfire aid.

The request includes $12.8 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) and $576.5 million for wildfire recovery. Also included is $16 billion for debt relief for the federal flood insurance program, which now needs additional funds to make necessary insurance claims payments to individuals.

Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen made the following statement on the request:

“It is abundantly clear that the people of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are in need of more help – in dollars, in resources, in manpower, and in federal support. My Committee has already begun to move on this emergency funding request, and will put legislation forward as soon as possible.

“The hundreds of thousands of people affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria have suffered enough. Congress must provide whatever is necessary to get these families back on their feet and to rebuild their communities. This will be a long process, and this next round of funds certainly won’t be all that is needed. We will continue to monitor each disaster closely and will work to ensure that both short-term relief and long-term recovery funds are available and are being put to good use for those in need.”

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