Dear MoveOn member,
Americans in the southeastern part of the country are struggling with the wreckage caused by Hurricane Helene. At least 140 people have died and hundreds more are missing after the hurricane pummeled Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, devastating many homes and communities.1 The death toll could surpass 600, and more than 2 million people remain without power.2 Neighbors and local governments are doing what they can to respond to this crisis, but they need help.
When natural disasters like Hurricane Helene strike, residents need to know that their government and community have their back. Will you sign the petition to demand that Congress return to pass disaster relief NOW?Congress has the power to make sure that our neighbors in states impacted by category 4 Hurricane Helene get the funding needed for rescue efforts to save lives, basic necessities like water, food, and prescriptions, and rebuilding their communities, homes, roads, businesses, and infrastructure.3 Congress is currently out of session through November 12, but relief can’t wait. So we have to come together to make sure they return and get it done—because hundreds of thousands of impacted people are counting on the lifesaving resources that Congress can deliver.
President Biden and congressional leaders have the power to call Congress back into session. They must do so and Congress must come back into session to pass a supplemental funding package that will support Hurricane Helene relief efforts NOW.
Just last week, Congress passed a bill that would fund the government through December, but despite forecasted hurricanes and wildfires raging, it left out billions of dollars that were requested for supplemental disaster funding—which would’ve been available now to communities impacted by Hurricane Helene.4
Frustrated by underfunded disaster relief, Representative Kathy Castor of Florida said, “The right-wingers here, the MAGA crowd, even after disasters happen, they have opposed disaster aid for communities in need.”5 It’s completely unacceptable.
FEMA’s disaster relief fund is already depleted and is currently at a nearly $2 BILLION deficit, forcing them to hold back billions of dollars in rebuilding projects to support more lifesaving work.6 But this was avoidable. FEMA should have the funding it needs to provide relief to our communities, which are enduring one climate catastrophe after another.
Disaster funding should never be a partisan issue. Our communities that have been harmed by Hurricane Helene can’t wait until Congress is back in session in November; they need relief right now. Congress must come back and pass supplemental disaster funding NOW.
Together, we’ll keep fighting and demanding swift action to take on the fossil fuel industry, fight back against the climate crisis, and protect our communities from all climate catastrophes.
Thanks for all you do.
–Jensine, Mia, Aliya, Emma, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. “The latest on the aftermath of Hurricane Helene,” CNN, September 30, 2024
https://www.cnn.com/weather/live-news/hurricane-helene-florida-north-carolina-georgia-09-30-24/index.html
2. Ibid.
3. “Lawmakers stunned as disaster funds left out of stopgap bill,” E&E News, September 26, 2024
https://www.eenews.net/articles/lawmakers-stunned-as-disaster-funds-left-out-of-stopgap-bill-2/
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. “Hurricane Helene is here. More disaster aid is not.” Politico, September 26, 2024
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/power-switch/2024/09/26/hurricane-helene-is-here-more-disaster-aid-is-not-00181214
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