Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis of North Carolina released the following statements regarding the passage of the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill, which includes $1.68 billion in disaster relief funding for North and South Carolina following Hurricane Florence:

 

“This funding is an important step on the long road to recovery for the thousands of North Carolinians affected by Hurricane Florence,” said Senator Burr. “With $1.14 billion allocated for North Carolina, and another $540 million for South Carolina, our constituents can start to rebuild their homes, businesses and livelihoods. I look forward to working with Governor Cooper and state and local officials to ensure this money is distributed quickly and efficiently to get North Carolina back on solid ground as soon as possible. This bill also includes a version of legislation I introduced that would require the Secretary of Transportation to develop minimum standards for service and emotional support animals for air travel. I look forward to working with the Transportation Department in order to successfully implement these needed reforms.”

 

“The inclusion of $1.68 billion in disaster belief funding, including our $1.14 billion request for North Carolina, is an important down payment to begin recovering from the devastation left behind from Hurricane Florence,” said Senator Tillis. “Federal assistance will be the key to North Carolina’s recovery over the coming months and years, and I will continue to work with the entire North Carolina Congressional delegation to ensure families have the resources needed to rebuild their homes and businesses and our great state can rebuild our infrastructure. I am also glad this legislation includes reforms to FEMA programs to expedite assistance for recipients of FEMA aid and simplify federal requirements for individuals and state, local, and Indian tribal governments. We must ensure North Carolinians receive assistance as soon as possible, and this legislation is a positive first step in a long road ahead.”

 

Background Information

 

Senators Burr and Tillis, along with the rest of the North Carolina Congressional Delegation, wrote to the president to request an expedited major disaster declaration as Hurricane Florence made landfall near Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina on September 14, 2018. The following week, North and South Carolina’s Senators joined together to write to appropriators to include the necessary funding to begin recovery efforts as soon as possible.

 

North Carolina’s Congressional Delegation letter to President Trump can be found here, and Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Tim Scott’s (R-SC) letter to Senate Appropriations Committee leaders can be found here.