Spanberger Urges Speaker Johnson to Call U.S. House Back to Capitol Hill to Pass Emergency Appropriations Funding Following Hurricanes Helene & Milton

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger is urging U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson to call Members of Congress back to Capitol Hill to pass supplemental appropriations funds to support Virginia’s communities and communities across the Southeastern United State in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

In a letter to Speaker Johnson, Spanberger and 62 of her colleagues urged the Speaker to bring the U.S. House of Representatives back into session to approve emergency funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) to fulfill their relief missions following Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The lawmakers pointed to recently passed efforts to address relief funds — including last month’s vote allowing FEMA to access more than $20 billion for disaster relief in a continuing resolution that was signed into law. However, the lawmakers also underscored how these funds fall short of meeting critical needs in the long term.

“We write to you amidst a season marked by unprecedented natural disasters and increasingly severe weather events that have left communities across our nation in dire need of additional and comprehensive disaster relief funding,” wrote Spanberger and her colleagues. “The funds previously allocated were a necessary first step, allowing for an initial response to the immediate aftermath of these disasters. However, as recovery efforts continue, it is abundantly clear that these funds will not suffice.”

Their letter continued, “As representatives of the American people, it is our duty to ensure that every community has the resources to recover and rebuild in the wake of devastation. This is not merely a matter of policy but a profound obligation to the citizens we serve, who depend on their government for support in their most critical times of need.”

The letter was led by U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09), Kathy Manning (D-NC-06), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23), Dina Titus (D-NV-01), and Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-01).

Click here to read the letter, and the full letter text is below.

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Dear Speaker Johnson,

We write to you amidst a season marked by unprecedented natural disasters and increasingly severe weather events that have left communities across our nation in dire need of additional and comprehensive disaster relief funding.

Recent legislation has provided initial relief funds, yet these provisions fall critically short of what will be necessary to address the scale of destruction and the recovery needs for Fiscal Year 2025. We, therefore, urge you to immediately reconvene the US House of Representatives so that it can pass robust disaster relief funding.

The funds previously allocated were a necessary first step, allowing for an initial response to the immediate aftermath of these disasters. However, as recovery efforts continue, it is abundantly clear that these funds will not suffice.

Furthermore, the frequency and intensity of these extreme weather events are a clarion call for proactive measures. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) must be equipped not only to respond to current disasters but also to adequately prepare for future events. This requires substantial funding that ensures FEMA can maintain a state of readiness and provide immediate assistance when disasters strike. Additionally, the Small Business Administration disaster relief loan program must be replenished as soon as possible to help business owners rebuild their enterprises and communities.

As representatives of the American people, it is our duty to ensure that every community has the resources to recover and rebuild in the wake of devastation. This is not merely a matter of policy but a profound obligation to the citizens we serve, who depend on their government for support in their most critical times of need.

Therefore, we strongly urge you to bring the US House of Representatives back into session to approve the necessary funding that will empower FEMA and the SBA to fulfill their disaster relief missions. Our communities cannot wait, and we must act swiftly to provide them with the assurance that their government will stand by them.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We hope for your leadership in reconvening the House and ensuring that our nation is prepared to meet the challenges posed by natural disasters.

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