Kennedy introduces bill to support Hurricane Laura recovery by increasing disaster relief fund
Sep 09 2020
“To help people rebuild their homes and businesses, I’ve introduced a bill to make sure FEMA’s disaster funding doesn’t run dry. Louisianians have worked hard for our state and our country, and they’re not going to walk through recovery alone.”
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today introduced the Hurricane Laura Recovery Funding Act to provide $10 billion to the Disaster Relief Fund, which funds FEMA’s recovery efforts.
“Hurricane Rita did massive damage to our state, and it looks like Hurricane Laura may eclipse that devastation. To help people rebuild their homes and businesses, I’ve introduced a bill to make sure FEMA’s disaster funding doesn’t run dry. Louisianians have worked hard for our state and our country, and they’re not going to walk through recovery alone,” said Kennedy.
The Disaster Relief Fund has $58 billion, though the account is currently providing resources for a number of emergencies, including the coronavirus pandemic. Federal unemployment costs due to COVID-19 alone account for approximately $44 billion in emergency funding.
Kennedy is the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, and the text of this bill is available here.