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$100B aid bill a 'significant down payment' for Helene relief, Tillis says

By Lightning Reports, Published: December 22, 2024

The government funding bill adopted by Congress and signed into law by President Biden includes more than $100 billion in disaster relief for Western North Carolina communities devastated by Hurricane Helene and provides aid for other communities and states hit by natural disasters.

“I'm proud to have worked alongside my Senate colleagues to secure this critical funding for Western North Carolina,”  U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis said in a news release. “I remain committed to working with the outgoing Biden Administration and the incoming Trump Administration to ensure these resources reach Western North Carolina as expeditiously as possible. This is a significant downpayment to help make Western North Carolina whole again.” 

Provisions in the bill include:

• Requiring the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to issue a Federal Register notice by Han. 15 of enactment for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) so funding can flow to North Carolina more quickly. Federal Register notices have often taken 12-24 months after previous authorizations.
• Replenishing funding for the SBA’s disaster loan program to help homeowners and small business owners rebuild, which Tillis has been pushing since funding expired. There are currently 2,338 applicants waiting for their application to be processed, totaling $172 million.

North Carolina is expected to receive at least $9 billion in assistance — not including FEMA assistance, which is likely to be an additional billions of dollars. Aid coming to North Carolina will include:

• Community Development Block Grant funding to help local communities recover and rebuild.
• Economic assistance and disaster payments and economic assistance for farmers affected by Helene.
• A significant investment to repair and rebuild the roads, highways, bridges, and other infrastructure damaged by Helene. 
• Major investments in North Carolina’s drinking water infrastructure.

While specific funding levels for states will be based on need, the legislation provides the following funding at the national level:

 Department of Agriculture – $33.5 billion

• $21 billion for disaster assistance to farmers and producers.
• $10 billion for economic assistance to farmers and producers.
• $7.5 million for the Office of the Inspector General to provide funding oversight.
• $42.5 million for the Agriculture Research Service to repair or replace facilities damaged by hurricanes.
• $828 million for the Emergency Conservation Program to provide financial and technical assistance to address farmland impacted by natural disasters.
• $920 million for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program to provide financial and technical assistance to address impaired watersheds posing a risk to life or property.
• $356.5 million for the Emergency Forest Restoration Program to assist private forest owners restore forests damaged by natural disasters.
• $362.5 million for the Rural Development Disaster Assistance Fund to provide assistance to rural communities affected by natural disasters.
• $25 million for the Commodity Assistance Program to address facilities damaged by natural disasters.

Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration  

• $1.5 billion for economic development assistance for areas impacted by natural disasters in 2023 and 2024.

Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – $1.04 billion, including:

• $244 million for repair and replacement of observing assets, real property, and equipment, including rebuilding the laboratory in Beaufort on the coast.
• $399 million for hurricane hunter aircraft and related expenses.

Department of Homeland Security – $30.83 billion, including:

• $29 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund, including $4 million for the Office of Inspector General to carry out oversight.

Department of the Interior – $3 billion, for expenses related to the consequences of disasters occurring in and prior to calendar year 2024, including:

• $2.3 billion for the National Park Service, which includes $50 million for the Historic Preservation Fund and $1.7 billion to rebuild the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Environmental Protection Agency – $3.3 billion, for expenses related to the consequences of Hurricanes Helene, Hilary, and Milton, and Hawaii wildfires, including:

• $3.25 billion for State and Tribal Assistance Grants, of which $1.2 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program, $1.8 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program, $85 million for decentralized water systems, $60 million to address water emergencies, $10 million for Clean Air Act Section 103 grants, and $95 million for hazardous waste financial assistance grants.

Forest Service 

• $6.4 billion, for expenses related to the consequences of disasters occurring in calendar years 2022, 2023, and 2024, including $208 million for State, Private, and Tribal Forestry.

Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families – $500 million for Child Care, including:

• $250 million for renovation and repairs of child care facilities that were damaged by natural disasters, as well as temporary services for children in affected areas.

Department of Transportation 

• $8 billion for Federal Highways Administration emergency relief to reimburse states and territories for damage from natural disasters to roads and bridges in the National Highway System.

Department of Housing and Urban Development 

• $12 billion for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery to assist with the long-term housing, infrastructure and economic recovery needs for areas most impacted and distressed by a natural disaster.

Tillis has been pushing for federal assistance for Western North Carolina since the moment Helene made landfall. His office reported this timeline of the senator's efforts:

• On October 1, Senator Tillis led a bipartisan letter to Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Vice Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) on the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene and the urgent need to pass an appropriations package to support the millions of Americans affected by the storm.
• On October 16, 2024, Senator Tillis led a bipartisan group of senators in urging the White House to rapidly submit a government funding request to Congress that will fully cover costs associated with clean-up and recovery following Hurricanes Helene and Milton so that affected communities could begin to heal. The Senators called for Congress to return to Washington from the October in-state work period to approve federal disaster relief legislation.
• On October 23, 2024, The Hill published an op-ed by Senator Tillis addressed to members of Congress to step up and be proactive with long-term disaster recovery assistance.
• On October 29, 2024, Senator Tillis and his colleagues announced plans to introduce legislation that would replenish the Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Program with families and small businesses across WNC unable to get loans approved until then. The Senators outlined their plan to seek passage of the legislation when Congress returned to session.
• On November 14, 2024, Senator Tillis attempted to pass legislation to replenish the SBA Disaster Loan Program through a unanimous consent request on the Senate floor, but was blocked by another Senator.
• On November 15, 2024, Senator Tillis led a bipartisan letter to request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) immediately send a supplemental appropriation request to Congress to support the communities we represent, which were devastated after Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The OMB sent the request to Congress a few days later.
• On November 18, 2024, Senator Tillis introduced the standalone RELIEF Act to provide Hurricane relief to small businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene.
• On November 20, 2024, Senator Tillis called on Congress to quickly pass Hurricane Helene relief during his testimony to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
• On November 21, 2024, Senator Tillis met with Governor Cooper, Governor-Elect Stein, members of the North Carolina Congressional Delegation and the North Carolina General Assembly, and local leaders from Western North Carolina to discuss efforts to provide federal assistance to North Carolinians affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.
• On December 5, 2024, Senator Tillis joined Fox News’ Your World with Neil Cavuto where he discussed the urgent need for Congress to provide federal assistance to North Carolinians affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.
• On December 10, 2024, Senator Tillis hosted N.C. Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, N.C. House of Representatives Speaker-elect Destin Hall, State Senators Bill Rabon and Ralph Hise, and State Representative Dudley Greene to discuss efforts to provide immediate assistance to North Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene’s devastation. 
• On December 18, 2024, Senator Tillis committed to filibustering any continuing resolution that did not include disaster aid for Western North Carolina.

In addition to Senator Tillis’ legislative efforts the Senator has met with local leaders, residents, and elected officials across Western North Carolina including those in Flat Rock, Hendersonville, Asheville, Black Mountain, Boone, Burnsville, Canton, Clyde, Fairview,Hot Springs, Marshall, Morganton, Spruce Pine, Swannanoa, Waynesville and Wilkesboro.