Biden Administration Approves Recovery Funds

By Trevor Hunnicutt

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Biden administration has approved more than $1.8 billion for recovery efforts following hurricanes Helene and Milton, as announced by the White House on Wednesday.

This funding comes as states across the southeastern U.S. work to recover from the back-to-back hurricanes that caused widespread devastation. Recovery is expected to be a protracted process, given that the two storms hit within two weeks of each other, straining federal resources alongside the tens of billions in insured losses.

President Biden has activated federal aid to assist residents and local governments in covering expenses related to temporary shelter, water provision, debris removal, and power restoration. Currently, approximately 8,000 federal personnel are deployed on the ground to aid recovery efforts.

Additionally, Biden has urged U.S. lawmakers — currently on recess until after the November 5 presidential election — to return to Washington for the approval of more disaster relief funds.