Raleigh, North Carolina (AP) – Another $500 million will be spent Hurricane Helen The recovery efforts for western North Carolina in the law were unanimously approved on Tuesday.
If enacted, the measure adds to funds already approved by the Republican-controlled General Assembly, which was already approved in late 2024, to spend on disaster recovery efforts following historic flooding in the mountains in September. It will be done.
But Josh Stein, a Democratic government official who took office in January, demanded earlier this month that lawmakers would more than double the amount. $1.07 billion. He said these funds cannot wait until traditional state budget negotiations close early this summer and struggling businesses, displaced people and public school students need help now. I say that.
GOP lawmakers agree that more funds need to move quickly into the region, but say they want to be careful to maximize federal matching funds and avoid mistakes after the previous storm. They also agree with Stein that more Helen aid will be approved in the coming months.
“We all hope that the money flows quickly, but we totally hope that this isn’t the last,” said Avery County Rep. Dudley Green, who was founded after Helen. said during the floor discussion. “Western North Carolina would like to thank you for your vote for this important next step.”
Depending on the method counted, Congress has previously been approved from $900 million to $1.1 billion for use in Helene Recovery Activity.
The additional $225 million already allocated for Helen’s aid will help pay Tuesday’s action headed for the Senate, where GOP lawmakers have their own spending ideas. The Storm Act marks an early test of Congress-Stein’s relationship since Republicans fell below one vote in the November election.
North Carolina officials have reported more than 100 deaths from Helen. Helen damaged thousands of miles with 74,000 homes and roads, bridges and dark verts. State officials predicted the storm caused a record $59.6 billion in damages and a recovery need.
The House bill highlights support for farmers who lose damaged homes, private bridges, roads, road repairs, and crops adjacent to small businesses and rebuild their infrastructure.
There were no provisions from Stein’s spending package. There were no provisions to compensate the local governments of Mountains.
House Republicans tried to address such concerns successfully on Tuesday so that $15 million could go to nonprofits and then provide small business revitalization grants. The amendment will allow local authorities to participate in the already running national loan collection programme to avoid repayment of some revenue.
Democrats living in flood-damaged areas were happy with the adjustments, but locals said they feared that federal funds are not enough and that the state funds are too slow. Thousands of displaced people in the area decide whether rental assistance or temporary housing, waste piles, and mountains of businesses that normally rely on tourism to stay open. I’m doing it.
“I understand there’s more to come, and I’m grateful for that,” said Rep. Lindsay Plazer of Buncombe County. “But we’re five months after this storm. We need to move faster and spend more.”
Stein’s administration predicts that disaster relief and other federal funding sources approved by Congress in December could ultimately provide over $15 billion in Helene Recovery Funds to North Carolina. Stein announced another request last week for Washington. This is seeking an additional $13.1 billion.
Another House measure scheduled for discussions in the committee on Wednesday will now cost another $475 million from existing state reserves and create a statewide crop loss program for the 2024 disaster.
Full House also pre-approved another bill on Tuesday, raising the state’s permanent maximum unemployment benefits from $350 a week to $450.
However, the measure also ended an executive order from former government Roy Cooper, temporarily increasing its profits to $600 a week. An order was issued to help those who lost their jobs because of Helen, but the Cooper administration said federal law required pay raises to apply to workers across the state. The bill should head to the Senate later this week.
Source link
