The House Freedom Caucus, a group of conservative lawmakers, is urging Republican leaders to turn down President Biden’s request for $98.4 billion in disaster aid. The caucus expressed their concerns in a statement, emphasizing the importance of a more focused approach that prioritizes only the necessary aid while finding spending cuts elsewhere to cover the costs.
They stated that Congress should not pass such a large, unpaid disaster funding bill—specifically warning that Democrats might use it to push through unrelated priorities just before a Republican administration takes over the presidency and both chambers of Congress.
In their view, the House should only consider the essential relief needed for hurricane victims and farmers and find ways to offset those costs by cutting wasteful spending in the government. They expressed hope that once President Trump is back in office, managing disaster relief will be more effective.
As negotiations continue among lawmakers regarding the size of the disaster aid package, there remains debate on whether to attach this package to a crucial end-of-year funding bill, which is necessary to avert a potential government shutdown before the holidays.
The South has seen severe consequences from recent storms, including Hurricane Helene, which resulted in over 100 fatalities in North Carolina. Following shortly after was Hurricane Milton, impacting Florida and Georgia.
Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina believes a significant aid package may be necessary, suggesting the damages in his state alone could require around $50 billion to address. He argued that this situation demands serious attention and should not be treated lightly.
Despite the pressing needs, members of the Freedom Caucus have criticized the idea of providing such a large federal request without corresponding cuts to other areas. They argue that granting the Democrats’ request would escalate national debt and set a dangerous precedent.
Representative Chip Roy, a leading voice in the Freedom Caucus, firmly stated he would not support a $100 billion bill without proper funding measures. Meanwhile, Congressman Chuck Edwards, whose district was heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene, indicated he is working with House leaders on the disaster aid efforts, though details are still being finalized.
As the deadline for a government funding solution approaches on December 20, congressional leaders are expected to explore alternatives, including a continuing resolution to maintain current funding levels.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson mentioned the severe damage caused by the storms, acknowledging the initial request for disaster aid was even higher, at $116.5 billion. He stressed the importance of carefully reviewing each request to ensure only necessary expenditures related to disaster relief are included.
