Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, released this statement in response to the damage and destruction caused by Hurricane Helene.
“My heart goes out to everyone who has been affected by Hurricane Helene and the unprecedented levels of devastation communities have seen. Helene is expected to be one of the deadliest and costliest hurricanes our nation has ever seen. Communities are reeling as over 100 people have lost their lives, and hundreds more are still missing. I want to thank first responders and the Biden-Harris Administration for their immediate and continued emergency response and for working with governors and local officials to deliver emergency resources that address immediate life-saving needs throughout the Southeast. Thankfully, the Federal government averted a government shutdown, ensuring the Federal Emergency Management Agency has $20 billion to respond to the destruction from Helene. And, if more is needed, Congress must be ready to provide those funds.
“This latest catastrophe is also another wakeup call for Congress to take climate change seriously. For decades, we have known that as climate change continues to worsen, extreme weather events like Hurricane Helene would lead to more death, destruction, and displacement. Indeed, scientists and researchers have clearly shown that the intensity of Hurricane Helene is a direct result of climate change. While the Biden-Harris Administration has led the effort to tackle climate change through historic investments like those passed through the Inflation Reduction Act, Congress must do more before it’s too late.
“To start, we must pass long overdue legislation that would finally bring stability to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through long-term reauthorization and reform. During my time as Chairwoman of the Committee, we were successful in passing my bipartisan bill, the ‘National Flood Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2019,’ which did just that. Now is the time to do it again. We must also permanently reauthorize and reform HUD’s Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program, which is often the only lifeline for low-income families and communities post-disaster. And finally, we must pass my bill the ‘Housing Crisis Response Act,’ which would make historic investments in fair, affordable, and resilient housing that is needed to stabilize families and communities over the long run. Importantly, this bill would also forgive the NFIP’s outstanding debt owed to the U.S. government – which is prohibitive to the effectiveness and long-term functioning of the program – and allow us to invest in, modernize, and improve federal flood mapping technologies that communities and industry alike rely on to plan for mitigation and resiliency.
“I urge every Member in Congress to work together and pass these urgently needed pieces of legislation so we can help families recover, rebuild, and prevent this scale of destruction in the future.”
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