President Joe Biden on Wednesday pledged support for Americans affected by Hurricane Idalia and the Hawaii wildfires while blaming climate change and warning Republicans not to hold up disaster assistance funding.
In a White House press briefing, President Biden unveiled a $95 million allocation from the bipartisan infrastructure law through the Department of Energy to strengthen Hawaii’s electric grid post-wildfires.
Earlier this month, the island of Maui suffered a catastrophic wildfire, resulting in 115 fatalities and 338 people missing. And recently, the president swiftly took measures to provide resources for Florida and other states in anticipation of Hurricane Idalia’s landfall.
The president also addressed the disaster in Florida. His remarks followed Hurricane Idalia’s landfall in that state as a Category 3 storm, later downgraded to Category 1 as it traversed Florida and Georgia.
In response to criticism, President Biden underscored the urgency of responding to these crises and highlighted America’s responsibility to act.
Idalia is the first major hurricane of the 2023 Atlantic season, overlapping with ongoing efforts to address the Maui wildfire and West Coast flooding.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has said that its financial resources are adequate to address the repercussions of Hurricane Idalia, but these funds will run out. FEMA Director Deanne Criswell reported that $3.4 billion remains for the ongoing crises in Hawaii and Florida. However, both Ms. Criswell and Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) are urging Congress for additional support.
The president warned Republicans on Wednesday against holding up disaster assistance funding, saying he would publicly “point out why” if they did.
“How can we not respond? My God. How can we not respond to these needs?” he said. “So I’m confident, even though there’s a lot of talk from some of our friends up on the Hill about the cost, we have to do it. This is the United States of America.”
President Biden’s commitment to disaster relief follows initial criticisms of his handling of the Hawaii wildfires.
Critics took aim at the president for staying silent on the Hawaii wildfires for a period of time. Earlier this month, President Biden raised eyebrows when he responded “no comment” when asked by a reporter about the rising death toll in Maui. The White House later said the president didn’t hear the question when he gave that response.
On another occasion, during a bike ride, President Biden answered a similar question with, “We’re looking at it.”
The Biden administration was also criticized for its decision to provide the survivors of the Hawaii wildfires with $700 in payments, with critics pointing to the billions spent in monetary assistance on supporting Ukrainian war efforts.
The $700 aid came as the United States announced a $200 million assistance package for Ukraine, which has already been authorized by Congress to receive $113.1 billion in 2022.
Addressing Idalia on Wednesday, President Biden laid out the steps he’d taken ahead of the hurricane’s landfall to ensure Florida and other states had the resources they needed.
Earlier on Wednesday, the president received updates from federal emergency officials and spoke with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster as Idalia traveled up the East Coast.
“I let each governor I spoke with know if there’s anything the states need right now, I’m ready to mobilize that support,” President Biden said.
“I think he trusts my judgment and my desire to help, and I trust him to be able to suggest that this is not about politics, it’s about taking care of the people of the state,” he said.
On Monday, the president signed an emergency declaration unlocking federal resources and said Tuesday he was in “constant contact” with authorities from Florida.“I’ve directed my team to do everything we can for as long as it takes,” he added.
FEMA activated approximately 1,500 personnel alongside 900 members from the Coast Guard. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell was dispatched to Florida to provide assistance.
The U.S. Coast Guard is actively engaged in search and rescue operations, while three teams specializing in disaster survivor assistance have been dispatched to Florida. Critical resources on hand include 1.3 million meals and 1.6 million liters of water. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service has granted early issuance of September SNAP benefits for eligible households.
President Biden visited Hawaii early last week, pledging sustained federal support for the island and its residents. He said Wednesday he remained “laser focused” on the recovery there.
