Congress recently passed a stopgap spending bill to keep the federal government open until late December, but did not allocate additional funding for the cash-strapped Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Instead, FEMA has been authorized to start spending from its Fiscal Year 2025 budget to cover its expenses, essentially using a credit card to pay its bills.
The Disaster Relief Fund of FEMA, which supports emergency responses and financial aid for disaster survivors, has been depleted for weeks. This has limited the agency’s ability to provide adequate aid in the aftermath of natural disasters, including severe flooding in Vermont. While FEMA has been able to provide individual assistance and housing aid, it has not been able to reimburse state and local governments for cleanup and repair work.
Even though the Vermont delegation, including U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, and U.S. Rep. Becca Balint, voted in favor of the short-term spending deal to avert a government shutdown, they criticized the lack of additional disaster relief funding. Welch expressed concerns about the long-term impacts of depleting next year’s funds early and the risks it poses for future disaster response efforts.
Despite their support for the spending bill, the delegation vowed to continue advocating for increased natural disaster funding when Congress reconvenes. However, with lawmakers set to take a month-long recess for campaigning, the push for additional disaster aid will have to wait until they return to negotiations.
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