In the wake of a number of natural disasters converging in the same summer, there has been a call in Congress to boost the cleanup and support efforts across the country with more funding. Following the disastrous wildfire in MAui that claimed over 100 lives Florida just absorbed a Category-3 hurricane, and California is still dealing with the after-effects of a very rare encounter with its own tropical tempest. As a result a call has gone out last month for Congress to shore up FEMA with a $12 billion dollar infusion. Now an additional $4 billion has been added to that request, but there is a snag.
In his comments to the press last week, just prior to his visit to the impacted areas of Florida, President Biden made a political accusation. In calling for more funding he made the implication that the Republicans were blocking the aid to help out storm-affected Americans.
I’m calling on Congress to make sure you’re able to have the funds to be able to continue to show up and meet the needs of the American people to deal with immediate crises that we’re facing right now, as well as the long-term commitments we have to make to finish the job in Maui and elsewhere. We need this money done, we need this disaster relief request met, we need to do it in September, we can’t wait.”
This echoed a White House speech he made the day before, again implying he was being blocked from helping out victimized citizens.
“How can we not respond? My God. How can we not respond to these needs? So I’m confident, even though there’s a lot of talk from some of our friends up on the Hill about the cost, we have to do it. This is the United States of America.”
In the wake of this comment, CNN dutifully took to the airwaves and followed through on behalf of Biden. On “CNN News Center” the Democratic Party pom-poms were shaken boldly as the Republicans were being called out. Co-host Boris Sanchez brought what he called a “warning to the Republican Party about funding” by the President. He then had Arlette Saenz come on doing a remote, and she extended this thought process.
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Here is @CNN on behalf of the Biden White House. They accuse the Republicans of blocking disaster relief; they have not done so.
— Lie-Able Sources (@LieAbleSources) September 5, 2023
There is also the matter of the GOP putting forth funding for FEMA that has no other attachments, and it is the Dems opposing that move. pic.twitter.com/eI6coTt4aL
The Republicans have not blocked this funding request, but they have noted a problem. As alluded to in the CNN report (but not detailed in any fashion) there is a significant issue in that initial funding request, made in August. There is an attached amendment for more funding to go out to the Ukrainian war effort. Not only is this a completely unneeded involvement, but the funds being asked for that country nearly double the amount called for to help Americans in need.
Why would Biden make the relief efforts gummed up by politicizing it in this fashion, and how is he brazen enough to cite “the needs of the American people” as he is attaching a demand for $23 billion to go to Ukraine?! The heartless madness does not stop there.
In response to this chicanery, and the attempt to make political controversy on the backs of storm-ravaged American citizens, the Republicans have delivered a separate funding bill for FEMA. Florida Senator Rick Scott has drawn up legislation that does exactly what Biden stated; the new Senate spending bill will be solely for funding FEMA, at an adjusted amount of $16.5 billion. And look who it is blocking this plan.
Democrat Senator Tammy Duckworth has announced she will not vote for this new bill, meaning it cannot be passed expediently through unanimous consent. So as Joe Biden called for Congress to act fast and approve this spending increase this month, he has loaded the bill with far more funding for foreign interests over domestic needs, and now one of his own party members is going to delay things and force the bill to pass through committee before coming to a floor vote.
They are playing political games with relief for our citizens and in the process are attempting to have the GOP blamed for their own monkey wrenches being tossed into the works. And the press is obediently pointing the fingers at the right. The shameful antics are at this point sadly expected with this troupe running the country.
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