Politics

House leaders praise Edwards for guiding disaster bill to passage

U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards and congressional delegation hear from volunteers on rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Helene.

By Lightning Reports, Published: December 31, 2024

Congressional leaders are praising the work of U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards for guiding a $110 billion in disaster supplemental funding bill through the House to help states rebuild from Hurricane Helene and other disasters.

“From the moment Hurricane Helene made landfall, Representative Chuck Edwards has been hard at work ensuring that Western North Carolinians are not forgotten," Speaker Mike Johnson in a news release. "When Chuck invited me to tour the site of the devastation with him in October, we made a promise that the federal government would do its part to help the families and businesses devastated by the storm, and with the passage of the American Relief Act, we have delivered on that promise. Rep. Edwards was key to getting that critical disaster relief aid across the finish line, and few Members of Congress have ever championed the cause of their constituents as effectively as he has.”

As the only co-sponsor of the legislation, Edwards drafted the bill as a member of the House Appropriations Committee. Given that supplemental disaster funding falls under that committee’s jurisdiction, it is customary that the chair of the committee be the lead sponsor. The committee only rarely names a co-sponsor for such bills.

“Congressman Chuck Edwards set a precedent of being the singular cosponsor on a disaster relief package that aids multiple states," said Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole of Oklahoma. "He used his role as a member of the House Appropriations Committee and experience he gained from nine weeks on the front line of the disaster response to take a lead role in drafting the disaster supplemental package for the American Relief Act. I walked alongside Congressman Edwards in North Carolina and saw the wreckage that decimated communities and left families overwhelmed by loss. His leadership and steadfast advocacy secured critical disaster aid for his constituents and Americans across this nation.”

As a lifelong resident of Western North Carolina, Edwards brought a unique understanding of the challenges residents there are facing in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

“While the legislative process was one with many twists and turns, I am proud that in the end, members from both parties were able to come together and keep the funding package fully intact,” he said.

The American Relief Act of 2024 will bring several billions of dollars of funding from various federal agencies to Western North Carolina. This includes the resumption of Small Business Administration disaster loans, repair funds for damaged federal highways, Economic Adjustment Assistance funding for economic recovery, and funding for agriculture assistance and the U.S. Forest Service.

“The road to recovery will be long, and Helene’s impact will be felt for generations. But the people of Western North Carolina are resilient fighters, and we now have the funding infrastructure in place to better aid in the healing process,” Edwards added.