House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday that Congress has already authorized the necessary disaster relief funds for Hurricane Helene, the storm that has devastated parts of Florida, western North Carolina, Tennessee, and beyond.
"Congress has previously provided the funds [FEMA] needs to respond, so we will make sure that those resources are appropriately allocated," Johnson said, speaking at the New York Stock Exchange, according to The Hill.
Johnson's comment comes amid a FEMA replenishment, which was included in the three-month stopgap spending bill President Joe Biden signed last week.
On Monday, Biden suggested that Congress may need to return from recess to pass additional supplemental relief, "That is something I may have to request, but no decisions are made yet."
Nonetheless, Johnson did not promise or rule out a need for additional funding but instead mentioned the severity of Helene's impact. "One of this magnitude leaves a real mark," he said, describing the devastation, particularly in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, where entire roads are washed away and houses lay submerged.
So far, more than 120 people have died, and hundreds of thousands are without power.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., expressed a readiness to return to Washington to address Helene's damage, proposing a bill of $10 billion to FEMA and $5 billion to housing aid. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., a co-sponsor of the proposal, also emphasized the urgency of action.
"I am ready and willing to return to Washington and ensure our communities receive the critical resources necessary for a rapid recovery," Paulina Luna said. "Americans are counting on us, and we must take immediate action to address their life-saving needs."