Disaster Relief Politics: A Reporter's Notebook

Welcome to the politics of disaster relief.

The Biden/Harris administration is being criticized by Republicans for its response to Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, Tennessee, and other parts of the South. This is about to become a double whammy as Hurricane Milton approaches Florida.

The disaster response is now infused with politics in swing states like North Carolina and Georgia, and there is a competitive but not top-tier Senate race in Florida.

The typical electorate may not be able to vote during a storm, as the usual voters might not be able to reach the polls due to disruptions caused by the storm. It can be challenging to prioritize voting when one is struggling with basic needs such as food, electricity, and transportation, especially if the storm has damaged the roads and made it difficult to leave the area.

If your basement is swamped by Milton and you were going to vote at the school down the street but it lacks power, where should you vote in Tampa or Sarasota? You're now living at your sister's house inland, but you're not registered to vote there.

You see what we’re getting at.

Republicans are hammering the Biden/Harris administration for its response to the storm.

"The DMV at an industrial scale is what it feels like," said Republican vice presidential nominee and Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, on Fox. "It's the epitome of incompetence."

"According to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La, the federal response to the disaster has been a massive failure. People directly affected by the disaster have described it as an abject failure. FEMA has strayed from its core mission, and the administration has not demonstrated preparedness for this eventuality."

Former President Trump criticized Kamala Harris's response to a storm, calling it the worst he's ever seen, possibly even worse than Katrina.

The response to Hurricane Andrew was challenging. In August 1992, Hurricane Andrew, a powerful Category 5 storm, swept through Florida. The tepid response of former President George H.W. Bush to Andrew slashed his support in Florida, resulting in a narrow victory for him over former President Clinton by less than 2%. Bush had won Florida by 22 points four years earlier. The response to Hurricane Andrew raised questions about the competence of the administration, which may have cost Bush a few points nationwide.

Upon assuming office, Clinton strengthened FEMA to better handle and respond to natural disasters.

The GOP strategy involves undermining the Biden/Harris administration on multiple fronts, including the economy, foreign policy, and the border.

Did someone say the border?

""Unfortunately, despite giving $20 billion annually to FEMA, they have depleted their funds, while we have spent $200 billion in Ukraine and $220-$500 a month on illegal aliens," said Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., on Fox Business."

This is where things get tricky.

The Department of Homeland Security oversees FEMA, which provides aid to cities affected by the illegal migrant crisis. Some of this aid is used to provide food and shelter for undocumented individuals, but it also helps towns manage the strain on their medical systems and other services.

The DHS budget includes two separate line items for disaster recovery and migrant assistance, which were approved by Congress. Some Republicans, however, would like to allocate more funds to help their communities cope with an influx of illegal immigration.

Some lawmakers want to increase the current $640 million allocation for towns affected by illegal migrants to as much as $3 billion next year.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., proposed legislation to stop the migrant aid program, while Johnson muddied the waters between FEMA disaster aid and migrants and the border.

Johnson on Fox stated that FEMA should be involved in assisting people during natural disasters, not using any pool of funding to resettle illegal aliens who have crossed the border.

Many Republicans view foreign aid to Ukraine as an opportunity to adjust spending overall.

As a representative, it is our duty to put the interests of Americans first, regardless of where they live. We must prioritize our fellow citizens and restore their hope, letting them know that they are not forgotten, said Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., on Fox.

Some Republicans compared FEMA's response to how the administration handles other topics.

According to Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., on NBC, this administration has no problem finding money when it wants to spend it on its priorities, but struggles to find the funds when it's needed for essential services such as delivering food, water, cellular service, and lifesaving medicine to mountain valleys.

Republicans were criticized by FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell for suggesting that FEMA was prioritizing other matters over the storms.

Criswell on ABC stated that the rhetoric was unhelpful and simply false, adding that it was "frankly ridiculous."

Congress approved $20 billion for FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) as part of the interim spending plan to prevent a government shutdown. However, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas complicated matters by stating that FEMA had sufficient funds to address Helene's immediate needs but not enough to handle the entire season.

Mayorkas mentioned the annual hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to November 30, when there was a possibility of another storm forming in the Gulf of Mexico.

The DRF will likely be depleted due to the severity of Helene and Milton. This is why Congress must allocate funds for disaster relief in at least two tranches when it reconvenes in November. Lawmakers will need to replenish the DRF and account for the cost of Helene, Milton, and other ongoing disasters such as Hurricane Beryl in Texas, tornadoes in Iowa, a typhoon on Guam, and wildfires in Hawaii.

Johnson is reluctant to call lawmakers back to Washington to address disasters.

Johnson stated on Fox that instead of simply submitting estimates to the federal government, specific needs and requests based on actual damages must be sent. This process can be time-consuming, particularly in the case of severe storms. Nonetheless, Congress will fulfill its responsibilities.

To address the impacts of Helene and Milton, lawmakers must first replenish the DRF for immediate needs, followed by distributing larger amounts of funding. The government funding deadline is December 20th, and it's possible that the latter portion of funding will be incorporated into Christmas spending measures.

The election is approaching, and the storms could affect voting this fall. Additionally, Helene and Milton will likely have an impact on both meteorology and electorally.