Biden asks Congress to return from recess for Hurricane Milton aid Bill

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden said Congress should return from its recess to pass emergency relief after Hurricane Milton wreaked havoc overnight on Florida’s Gulf Coast, leaving millions without power and causing tornadoes that killed at least 10 people.

“I think the Congress should be coming back and moving on emergency needs immediately,” Mr Biden said at the White House on Oct 10.

The most immediate need is funding for a Small Business Administration (SBA) programme to provide assistance to victims of natural disasters, Mr Biden said, though he anticipated that lawmakers would also need to top up the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (Fema) disaster relief programme in the coming months.

“This is going to be a long haul for total rebuilding,” Mr Biden said. “It’s going to take several billion dollars.”

Mr Biden said he had not yet spoken to House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, about his request, though he did detail his concern about the SBA funding in a letter to lawmakers earlier this week.

The President said the Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers were assessing how quickly they could reopen the port of Tampa to get fuel, food and other basic goods to the area, and that he had deployed military service members to help with the response.

Mr Biden also warned those in the wake of the deadly storm to continue to practise caution. 

“There’re still very dangerous conditions in the state, and people should wait to be given the all clear by the leaders,” he said.

Johnson spokeswoman Athina Lawson pushed back on the idea of Congress returning to Washington early from recess, saying it would be “premature” until the full scope of the damage was clear.

“Congress will act again upon its return in November to address funding needs and ensure those impacted receive the necessary resources,” Ms Lawson said in a statement.

“In the meantime, the administration needs to focus on getting the existing and sufficient disaster relief out to the millions of Americans in dire need and work to assess the extent and nature of the damage.”

More than three million customers are without power across the state of Florida, according to PowerOutage.us.

Damage and losses are expected to range from US$60 billion (S$78 billion) to US$75 billion, Mr Chuck Watson, an Enki Research disaster modeller, said.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the state avoided a “worst-case scenario”, after the storm surge came in lower than expected at five to eight feet above high-tide marks. Forecasters had projected 15 feet for storm surge.

Emergency crews are still assessing the damage, as the storm transitioned to the Atlantic on Oct 10.

Back-to-back hurricanes have become a point of tension between former president Donald Trump – the Republican presidential nominee – and the White House, which has condemned the promotion of false information by Trump and his allies.

His opponent, Vice-President Kamala Harris, accused Republican critics of playing “political games” earlier this week, while Mr Biden directly rebuked Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene for spreading conspiracy theories about weather control. 

Mr Biden reiterated a warning to those who might price gouge or spread misinformation on Oct 10, but bristled at questions about whether he would call Trump directly to convey that message.

“Are you kidding me?” Mr Biden said, adding he did not plan to make such a call. “Former president Trump – get a life, man, and help these people.”

Earlier, Mr Biden convened a meeting in the West Wing’s Situation Room with several Cabinet members participating virtually, including Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Deputy National Security Adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall. 

Ms Harris also joined the meeting virtually while her Chief of Staff Lorraine Voles sat alongside key aides to the President. Ms Harris is currently in Nevada on the campaign trail, after she left the state last week to be in Washington for federal recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Helene that devastated parts of the South-east. 

Mr Mayorkas, during a press briefing, implored Congress to provide Fema with additional funds once lawmakers return to Washington from recess. “We will need additional funds, and we implore Congress when it returns to, in fact, fund Fema as is needed,” he said.

The President cancelled his planned travel to Germany and Angola this week to oversee the recovery efforts for Hurricane Milton, postponing a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and leaving a promise to visit Africa before the end of his term unfulfilled. 

According to the White House, Mr Biden spoke with several Florida officials, including Republican Senator Rick Scott, congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward, Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings. BLOOMBERG