Debris and a mobile home are piled up along a tree line in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Sept. 29, 2024 in Old Fort, North Carolina. (Photo by Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is asking Congress to approve $98.4 billion in emergency spending to bolster the federal government’s response and recovery efforts following a series of natural disasters, including Hurricanes Helene and Milton that devastated parts of Southeastern states.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of Agriculture would receive the bulk of the funding request, if lawmakers approve it in full, though they can increase, decrease, or ignore whatever they wish.

Congress is expected to begin vetting the supplemental spending request this week before departing on a one-week Thanksgiving break. It’s likely lawmakers and staff will release an emergency spending bill in early December when both chambers return for a three-week session.

“It is absolutely critical that these communities know that their government has not forgotten them,” White House budget director Shalanda Young said Monday in a briefing with reporters.

The spending request, she said, would address a series of natural disasters throughout the country, including ongoing recovery efforts following the wildfires in Maui; tornados across the Midwest; the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland; and severe storms in Alaska, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia were hit by the hurricanes.

Busy hurricane, tornado seasons

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said during the call that 2024 has been “a year of records.”

“Hurricane Beryl became the earliest Category 5 storm to form in the Atlantic and Hurricane Helene has devastated six states,” Criswell said. “We saw the second-busiest spring tornado season ever recorded. And we’ve seen, overall, a 50% increase in disaster activity.”

FEMA managed 114 disaster declarations during 2023, but has provided response and recovery aid to 172 natural disasters so far this year, Criswell said.

“To date, FEMA has obligated over $7.5 billion alone for the response and recovery for Hurricanes Helene and Milton,” she said. “These storms were incredibly large and spending on the first month, post-landfall for each storm outpaced nearly all disasters that we have responded to over the last 20 years.”

FEMA, she said, has enough funding to continue its life-saving response and recovery activities through the end of a stopgap funding bill on Dec. 20, assuming no other major disasters take place.

The emergency spending request released Monday asks Congress to provide

• $40 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster relief fund.

• $24 billion for the Department of Agriculture to “provide assistance to farmers that experienced crop or livestock losses due to natural disasters like hurricanes, drought and wildfires.” That funding would also go toward a permanent overhaul of pay for federal wildland firefighters and emergency food support programs, like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Programs for Women, Infants and Children or WIC, according to a fact sheet.

• $12 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery programs.

• $8 billion for the Department of Transportation to repair roads and bridges throughout 40 states and territories that were “seriously damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic failures from external causes,” according to a fact sheet.

• $4 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency for “long-term water system upgrades” as well as hazardous waste and debris clean up.

• $3 billion for the Health and Human Services Department, which Young said would help “build supply chain capacity and resilience for IV fluids and other critical medical products that became scarce during recent hurricanes.”

• $2 billion for the Small Business Administration for low-interest disaster loans.

• $2 billion for the Commerce Department for flexible economic development grants and to buy three “hurricane hunter” aircraft.

• $1 billion for the Education Department to aid schools in affected areas.

• $1 billion for the Energy Department to “support grid rebuilding, modernization and future hardening efforts in areas hardest hit by Hurricanes Helene and Milton and funding to implement energy recovery efforts in communities affected by the Maui wildfires,” according to a fact sheet.

• $500 million for the Army Corps of Engineers to reimburse the cost of cleaning up wreckage after a ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.

• $300 million for the State Department to “address the need for additional water infrastructure to prevent and reduce sewage flows and contamination at the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant” in California. 

• $200 million for the Interior Department for several programs, including a permanent overhaul of federal wildland firefighter pay, repairing siphons on the St. Mary Canal in Montana and mapping hazard impacts, according to the fact sheet.

• $200 million for the Department of Labor’s Dislocated Worker National Reserve.

• $100 million for the Legal Services Corporation for legal assistance for low-income disaster survivors.

• $100 million for AmeriCorps for disaster recovery projects.

Congress to probe disaster recovery

Congressional committees are holding a series of hearings this week to delve into how the Biden administration responded to the slew of natural disasters that have happened this year and to vet the supplemental spending request.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing Tuesday morning with Criswell; North Carolina Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards, who represents western sections of the state, including Asheville; and Florida Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor, who represents parts of the Tampa Bay area.

The House Oversight and Accountability Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday afternoon on FEMA’s natural disaster response, with testimony from Criswell.

On Wednesday, the Senate Appropriations Committee will hold a hearing on disaster funding needs with testimony from Georgia Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Small Business Administrator Isabel Guzman, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Xochitl Torres Small, Deputy Secretary for the Department of Housing and Urban Development Adrianne Todman and FEMA Administrator Criswell.

The Appropriations committees in the House and Senate will work with leadership to draft the supplemental spending bill. 

Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray, D-Wash., released a written statement Monday calling on her colleagues to quickly approve an emergency spending bill.

“We cannot afford to delay further in getting disaster relief across the line so that communities can rebuild schools, roads, and utilities, families can get back on their feet, and our small businesses and farmers can stay afloat,” Murray said. “As we get additional updates from agencies from their ongoing assessments, I look forward to working with my colleagues in the remaining weeks of this Congress to craft and pass a bipartisan disaster package that addresses this request and other critical disaster needs in order to meet the urgent challenges communities all across our country are facing.”

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, which is a mega church in Stonecrest, Georgia, on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024 as part of a “souls to the polls” push. Harris presented the stakes of the presidential race in stark terms: “And now we face this question: what kind of country do we want to live in? A country of chaos, fear and hate or a country of freedom, compassion and justice?” (Photo by Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder)

WASHINGTON — A new poll released Monday by a civic engagement group found that Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris continues to grow her support with Latinos in critical battleground states.

In a tight presidential race, both campaigns have tried to court the Latino vote — one of the fastest-growing voting blocs.

The poll for Voto Latino by the firm GQR surveyed 2,000 Latinos registered to vote in the battleground states of Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — although not Georgia — from Sept. 25 to Oct. 2.

Vice President Harris even outperformed President Joe Biden in several swing states compared to his 2020 presidential results, according to the poll.

In August, Harris had the support of about 60% of Latino voters compared to GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump’s 29%, according to the poll. Both candidates increased their support of that voting bloc in October, with Harris at 64% and Trump at 31%.

The poll found that Harris’ growth has come from young Latino voters, ages 18 to 29.

In the swing states of Arizona, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, the poll found that Harris outperforms with Latino voters compared to Biden’s estimated wins among Latinos in 2020. In Arizona, Biden had 61% of the Latino vote four years ago, and Harris now polls at about 66%, the survey said.

In Pennsylvania, Biden had 69% of the Latino vote compared to Harris now polling at 77%, and in North Carolina, Biden had 57% of the Latino vote compared to Harris’ support of 67%, the poll said.

In 2020, Biden won Arizona and Pennsylvania by slim margins but lost North Carolina to Trump.

Trump visits Asheville, Harris teams up with Liz Cheney

After Hurricane Helene’s destruction in late September, campaigning in western North Carolina resumed Monday.

Trump visited Asheville, North Carolina, Monday afternoon to survey the destruction left by the aftermath of the Category 4 hurricane. While there, he stressed the importance of early voting, which is already underway in the state.

“It’s vital that we not let this hurricane that has taken so much also take your voice,” Trump said. “You must get out and vote.”

Harris on Monday blitzed around the suburban areas of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin with former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming for “moderated conversations.”

Arnold Palmer, McDonald’s and Usher

With almost two weeks until Election Day on Nov. 5, both candidates have rolled out celebrities and political stunts in an effort to court every vote in an election that is essentially a dead heat.

That was apparent over the weekend.

In Pennsylvania, Trump ended his Saturday evening with a rally in Latrobe where for roughly 10 minutes he described the male anatomy of the late golfer Arnold Palmer.

“This is a guy that was all man,” Trump said of Palmer, “when he took showers with the other pros, they came out of there they said, ‘oh my God, that’s unbelievable.’”

On Sunday Trump visited a closed McDonald’s, where for 20 minutes he donned an apron, worked the fryers and helped put together orders. He served a few pre-screened people who won the opportunity to partake in the campaign event via a lottery.

The visit to the Golden Arches came after Harris touted her work experience at a McDonald’s in Alameda, California, while she was a college student. Trump has cast doubt, without evidence, on whether that actually happened.

On Monday afternoon, after Harris’ jet landed in Michigan, a reporter shouted a question at her as to whether she ever worked at McDonald’s.

“Did I? I did!” Harris said, smiling and putting her thumb up, according to the pool report.

Harris returned to Georgia on Saturday, where she energized her base to take advantage of early voting. More than 1.3 million people have voted in Georgia, according to the Secretary of State’s turnout datahub.

She held a campaign rally alongside R&B singer Usher and visited Sunday church services in the Atlanta area as part of a “souls to the polls” effort.

Another intense week on the way

This week, Trump will attend a roundtable with Latino leaders on Tuesday in Miami, Florida. An earlier planned event with the National Rifle Association in Savannah, Georgia, was canceled.

In the evening, Trump will then travel to Greensboro, North Carolina, for a rally. His running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance will be campaigning in Arizona.

On Tuesday, Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will stump in Madison, Wisconsin, with former President Barack Obama to encourage early voting.

On Wednesday night, Harris will participate in a CNN town hall in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.

Trump on Wednesday will hold a faith-related town hall in Zebulon, Georgia, in the late afternoon. In the evening, he’ll head to Duluth, Georgia, to appear as a special guest at the conservative Turning Point PAC and Turning Point Action Rally.

On Thursday, Vance will partake in a town hall in Detroit, Michigan, with NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo.

Back in Georgia, Harris and Obama will headline a get-out-the-vote rally.

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President Joe Biden speaks about the federal government’s response and recovery efforts to hurricane season in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building’s South Court Auditorium on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday urged Congress to end its recess early and return to Capitol Hill to approve emergency funding for hurricane recovery, even though his budget office hasn’t released the supplemental request that would kick off the process.

Biden also rebuked Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for spreading misinformation about the federal government’s response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, saying it was irresponsible.

“Mr. President Trump, former President Trump, get a life man, help these people,” Biden said, later adding he has no plans to speak directly with Trump.

Biden criticized Trump and others for saying the $750 payment people in the hardest-hit areas are eligible for from the Federal Emergency Management Agency would be the only aid they get from the federal government.

“Mr. Trump and all those other people know it’s a lie to suggest that’s all they’re going to get. That’s bizarre,” Biden said. “They’ve got to stop this. I mean, they’re being so damn un-American with the way they’re talking about this stuff.”

Biden said the public would hold Trump accountable and then told the small group of reporters allowed to listen to his remarks in person that journalists better “hold him accountable, because you know the truth.”

Helene brought devastation to multiple states including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and  Virginia. More than 230 deaths have been reported.

At least 12 deaths  have been reported after Milton struck Florida this week.

Trump video

Trump released a video on social media Thursday addressed to Florida residents, saying that he was praying for them and that they would receive help if he’s elected president. Trump is in the last weeks of a tight contest with the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris.

“Hopefully on January 20th you’re going to have somebody that’s really going to help you and help you like never before because help is on the way,” Trump said. “Together we will rebuild, we will recover and we will come back stronger, bigger, better than ever before.”

Trump has repeatedly claimed that FEMA doesn’t have enough funding to help natural disaster survivors because money is being directed to noncitizens.

FEMA wrote that is not true, on a webpage designed to address a spike in misinformation and disinformation following the hurricanes.

“No money is being diverted from disaster response needs. FEMA’s disaster response efforts and individual assistance is funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a dedicated fund for disaster efforts. Disaster Relief Fund money has not been diverted to other, non-disaster related efforts.”

Misinformation and disinformation about natural disaster recovery have been spreading through other avenues as well, including social media and podcasts.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said earlier this week she expected combating rumors and lies will become a regular part of natural disaster recovery.

SBA in need of funding

Speaking from the South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Biden said the cost of recovery would be in the billions of dollars, but declined to put a specific number on how much emergency funding he’ll ask lawmakers to approve.

While FEMA has the funding it needs for now, with about $20 billion in its disaster relief fund, Biden said the Small Business Administration is in urgent need of emergency money from Congress so that it can provide assistance to natural disaster survivors.

“In terms of the SBA, it’s pretty right at the edge right now,” Biden said. “And I think the Congress should be coming back and moving on emergency needs immediately. They’re going to have to come back after the election as well because this is going to be a long haul for total rebuilding.”

Congress left Capitol Hill in late September for a six-week election break and isn’t scheduled to return until Nov. 12.

Numerous lawmakers have called on congressional leaders to bring the two chambers back into session to approve emergency spending legislation.

So far, Republican leadership in the House and Democratic leaders in the Senate have decided against summoning lawmakers back to Washington, D.C., in part, because they don’t yet have a request from the Biden administration.

Typically, emergency spending bills begin to move forward in Congress after the White House budget office sends lawmakers a supplemental spending request.

That agency, also known as the Office of Management and Budget, hasn’t yet released the request, which will detail how much in extra funding it would like Congress to approve for various agencies, like the Small Business Administration and FEMA.

The Office of Management and Budget didn’t respond to a request from States Newsroom asking when it plans to send lawmakers the supplemental spending request.

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People toss buckets of water out of a home as the streets and homes are flooded near Peachtree Creek after Hurricane Helene brought in heavy rains over night on Sept. 27, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON — Hurricane season has not only wreaked havoc on people’s lives throughout much of the country, but could also make it more difficult for voters to cast their ballots in hard-hit regions.

Other election threats include misinformation and even terrorism, with warnings from the Department of Homeland Security and an arrest in Oklahoma allegedly connected with an Election Day plot.

Election officials in states regularly affected by hurricane season have considerable experience ensuring residents can vote following natural disasters, but those in other parts of the country less accustomed to the destruction this year are learning as they go.

Voters used to a quick drive to their polling place or a drop box might need to spend more time getting there amid washed-out roads, while some may be so bogged down in rebuilding their lives, they simply choose not to cast a ballot. Regular mail service may be disrupted for mail-in ballots.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said earlier this week he didn’t expect recovery from Hurricane Helene to have a significant impact on voting, lauding county election officials for troubleshooting power outages and a loss of internet during the storm, the Georgia Recorder reported.

Local election officials throughout the state, he said, were ready to ship mail-in ballots on time and didn’t expect any delays to the start of early voting on Oct. 15.

County election officials “really put public service first because they understand how important voting is in 53 counties that so far have been declared federal disaster areas,” he said during a press briefing.

North Carolina’s legislature unanimously passed an emergency funding package Wednesday that includes $5 million for the Board of Elections to help it recover from the hurricane and ensure the election goes forward somewhat smoothly, according to NC Newsline.

Elections officials in the state will be allowed to make changes to early voting and polling locations throughout 25 western counties, an increase from the 13 counties previously authorized to make changes.

“While the Board of Elections made a good effort, we want to extend it to additional counties that were impacted,” Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger said during a press conference.

The Trump campaign released a list of 10 requests for voting in North Carolina on Tuesday evening, including that voters “who have been displaced to another North Carolina county to have the ability to vote a provisional ballot on election day, which will be delivered back to and processed at the voter’s correct County Board of Elections.”

That specific request was not approved by the state, according to NC Newsline.

In Florida, where residents barely began addressing damage from Hurricane Helene before Hurricane Milton emerged, there are disagreements about how best to proceed, the Florida Phoenix reported.

The League of Women Voters of Florida Education Fund and the Florida State Conference of the NAACP have filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to extend the voter registration deadline, which ended on Monday.

The organizations argue that Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis should have allowed more time for voter registration, since residents have been focused on storm preparation, evacuation and recovery.

“While issuing mandatory evacuation orders, he has refused to extend the voter registration deadline, disenfranchising many Floridians who were unable to register due to a disaster beyond their control,” the organizations wrote in a statement. “Voters should not have to worry about registering to vote while they are trying to protect their lives and communities.”

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett announced Wednesday that there would be changes throughout six counties to address impacts from Hurricane Helene, though he committed to ensuring residents in the state would be able to vote in person or by mail.

“The devastation experienced in northeast Tennessee is heartbreaking and unimaginable,” Hargett said in a written statement. “However, I continue to be amazed at the planning and resiliency of our local election officials.

“We have been working with our local elections administrators — Josh Blanchard, Sarah Fain, Tracy Harris, Dana Jones, Cheri Lipford, and Justin Reaves — throughout the entirety of this disaster, and their unwavering leadership and commitment will ensure this election proceeds as planned, so registered voters have the opportunity to vote.”

Hargett reiterated in the statement that early voting would still begin on Oct. 16 and run through Oct. 31.

Specific changes to voting throughout the six counties were posted on the Secretary of State’s website, which will be updated with any additional alterations in the days ahead. Tennessee voters who sent in absentee ballots can track the status here or by calling 877-850-4959.

Elections and artificial intelligence

In Kentucky, elections officials are warning state lawmakers that artificial intelligence has the “potential for significant impact” on elections in the months and years ahead, the Kentucky Lantern reported.

Republican Secretary of State Michael Adams urged lawmakers during a meeting of the General Assembly’s Artificial Intelligence Task Force to take the technology seriously.

“Should you take up AI legislation when you return in 2025, I would encourage you to consider prohibiting impersonation of election officials,” Adams said during the meeting. “It is illegal to impersonate a peace officer, and for good reason. It should be equally illegal to impersonate a secretary of state or county clerk and put out false information in any format about our elections.”

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a report earlier this month saying officials expected “state actors will continue to pose a host of threats to the Homeland and public safety,” including through artificial intelligence.

“Specifically, China, Iran, and Russia will use a blend of subversive, undeclared, criminal, and coercive tactics to seek new opportunities to undermine confidence in US democratic institutions and domestic social cohesion,” the 46-page report states.

“Advances in AI likely will enable foreign adversaries to increase the output, timeliness, and perceived authenticity of their mis-, dis-, and malinformation designed to influence US audiences while concealing or distorting the origin of the content.”

Terrorism and the election 

DHS also expects threats from terrorism to remain high throughout the year, including around the elections, according to the report.

“Lone offenders and small groups continue to pose the greatest threat of carrying out attacks with little to no warning,” the report states.

That appears to be the case in Oklahoma, where federal officials allege a 27-year-old Afghanistan national living in the state purchased AK-47 rifles and ammunition as part of a plot to conduct an attack on Election Day in the name of ISIS, the Oklahoma Voice reported.

Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi and a co-conspirator under the age of 18 allegedly met with an FBI asset in rural western Oklahoma to purchase two AK-47 assault rifles, 10 magazines and 500 rounds of ammunition, according to the criminal complaint.

An FBI search of Tawhedi’s phone found communications with a person who Tawhedi believed was affiliated with ISIS. He also “allegedly accessed, viewed, and saved ISIS propaganda on his iCloud and Google account, participated in pro-ISIS Telegram groups, and contributed to a charity which fronts for and funnels money to ISIS,” according to the complaint.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s campaign has sought to blame Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris for Tawhedi’s presence within the United States.

Trump Campaign National Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt released a written statement claiming that Harris “rolled out the red carpet for terrorists like Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi.”

“President Donald Trump will deport illegal immigrants on the terror watch list and secure our borders from foreign threats,” Leavitt wrote.

Tawhedi entered the United States on Sept. 9, 2021, on a special immigrant visa and “is currently on parole status pending adjudication of his immigration proceedings,” according to the criminal complaint.

The co-defendant is Tawhedi’s wife’s younger brother. While unnamed because he is a juvenile, the criminal complaint says he is a citizen of Afghanistan with legal permanent resident status who entered the United States on March 27, 2018, on a special immigrant visa.

Leavitt’s statement didn’t comment on the co-defendant entering the United States during the Trump administration.

Harris has not yet commented publicly on the arrest.

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The Rocky Broad River flows into Lake Lure and overflows the town with debris from Chimney Rock, North Carolina after heavy rains from Hurricane Helene on Sept. 28, 2024, in Lake Lure, North Carolina. Approximately 6 feet of debris piled on the bridge from Lake Lure to Chimney Rock, blocking access. (Melissa Sue Gerrits | Getty Images)

WASHINGTON —   Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell said Tuesday that rumors and disinformation will become a regular part of natural disaster response moving forward, and rebuked those seeking to benefit politically from spreading false information.

The volume and type of disinformation spreading about FEMA, as Southeast states struggle to recover from Hurricane Helene, is the worst Criswell said she has ever seen, following a “steady increase” in rumors following previous natural disasters.

Incorrect information about FEMA and its response to natural disasters has been spreading through numerous avenues, including social media, podcasts and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s numerous comments and posts. Criswell did not name any politicians or other individuals during the call with reporters.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Milton is barrelling toward Florida’s Gulf Coast and expected to make landfall by Wednesday night. Meteorologists are warning the storm could be one of Florida’s worst. Thousands of people were evacuating Tuesday.

Criswell said she’s concerned the lies about various aspects of FEMA’s response to Hurricane Helene may have a chilling effect on whether people harmed by natural disasters apply for assistance. It could also potentially endanger first responders on the ground.

“It’s just really demoralizing to them. It hurts their morale and they’ve left their families to be able to come in here and help people,” she said of first responders and FEMA staff.

While no one has physically attacked FEMA staff or other emergency responders so far, Criswell said, she and others are closely monitoring misinformation as well as how people in areas hit by natural disasters react to it.

FEMA’s collaboration with local law enforcement can help to monitor safety and security issues, though rumors and disinformation could make matters worse, she said.

“If it creates so much fear that my staff don’t want to go out in the field, then we’re not going to be in a position where we can help people,” Criswell said, adding that she does have concerns about “the safety of our folks that are walking around in neighborhoods that may or may not have full confidence in the government.”

“And so we are watching that closely to make sure that we’re providing for their safety as well,” she said.

Helene brought devastation to multiple states including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and  Virginia.  More than 230 deaths have been reported.

Storm victims

The rumors and inaccurate information about FEMA’s response and recovery efforts are “creating fear in some” people who are trying to navigate their way through the hurricane recovery process, Criswell said.

“I worry that they won’t apply for assistance, which means I can’t get them the necessary items they need,” Criswell said. “And so those are the biggest impacts I see as a result of this constant narrative that is more about politics than truly helping people.”

She said the current situation is worse than ever.

“We have always put up rumor control pages because there’s always been people that have been out there trying to take advantage of those that have just lost so much in creating false websites and trying to get their information and defrauding people and the federal government,” Criswell said. “And so not something that’s new, but the level of rhetoric just continues to rise.”

Following the Maui wildfires in August 2023, federal officials worked with local officials to help reassure Hawaiians the rumors and disinformation that spread following that disaster were not true.

Some of the disinformation about the Maui wildfires was from “foreign state actors,” Criswell said.

FEMA was eventually able to get federal assistance to everyone who needed it, but it took much longer than it would have otherwise, she said.

The first assistance people in hard-hit areas often receive from FEMA is a $750 payment meant to help with immediate needs like water, food, clothing and medicine.

There has been significant misinformation around that amount. Criswell clarified on the call that it’s the first installment from FEMA and that more assistance goes out to people affected by natural disasters as the recovery process moves forward.

“We know that they have immediate needs in the first few days, and it’s just an initial jump start to help them replace some of that,” Criswell said.

As FEMA gathers more information about property damage and other problems related to natural disasters, people will likely receive additional assistance for home repairs as well as the cost of staying in a hotel if their home was badly damaged.

FEMA then continues to work with people on longer-term needs, like rental assistance, if that’s needed.

FEMA has set up a webpage seeking to dispel rumors and disinformation about its response and recovery efforts.

It says that in most cases the money FEMA gives to disaster survivors does not have to be paid back and notes that the agency “cannot seize your property or land.”

“There are some less common situations in which you may have to pay FEMA back if you receive duplicate benefits from insurance or a grant from another source. For example, if you have insurance that covers your temporary housing costs, but you ask FEMA to advance you some money to help you pay for those costs while your insurance is delayed, you will need to pay that money back to FEMA after you receive your insurance settlement.”

The webpage also says that no funding for disaster recovery was diverted to address border security or immigration issues.

“This is false. No money is being diverted from disaster response needs. FEMA’s disaster response efforts and individual assistance is funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a dedicated fund for disaster efforts. Disaster Relief Fund money has not been diverted to other, non-disaster related efforts.”

Funding questions

FEMA has plenty of funding to cover response and recovery efforts for the 100-plus open natural disasters throughout the country, but will need supplemental funding from Congress in the months ahead.

“I have enough funding to continue to support the response efforts for both of these events, and then continue to support the recovery efforts from all of the storms across the nation,” Criswell said, referring to Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

“However, I’m not going to be able to support those recoveries for long without a supplemental,” she added. “And we anticipate needing additional funding in the December, January time frame, or I’ll have to go back into what we call immediate needs funding again, where we pause obligations in our recovery projects to ensure that I can respond to an event like we’re seeing today.”

The first step for Congress to approve emergency funding for FEMA or any other federal agency is typically when the Office of Management and Budget sends a supplemental spending request to lawmakers on behalf of the White House.

Lawmakers can then choose to write legislation providing some, all, or more money than requested. They can also choose not to fund the emergency request, though that appears unlikely this time.

For the moment, FEMA has about $20 billion in its disaster relief fund, she said.

People who need assistance from FEMA should call 1-800-621-3362, register on https://www.disasterassistance.gov/ or fill out an application on the FEMA app.

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At a rally in Wisconsin Sunday, former President Donald Trump, shown here during the Sept. 10 debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, made repeated false statements about federal aid to Hurricane-stricken states. (Win McNamee | Getty Images)

Former President Donald Trump lied about Hurricane Helene relief efforts during a campaign rally in Juneau Sunday afternoon. 

At the rally, which partially overlapped with Sunday’s Green Bay Packers game, Trump claimed that the administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris has not given residents of affected states enough aid after the storm caused catastrophic damage across the southeastern part of the country. 

“As our citizens are suffering from a catastrophic hurricane — I mean, this hurricane has been a bad one — Kamala Harris has left them stranded,” Trump said during the rally. 

Trump and other Republicans have been falsely claiming that the White House has not provided enough relief and that money from FEMA has been diverted to be given to immigrants. The Washington Post reported this week that’s not true and that Trump, when he was president, had diverted $155 million from the FEMA disaster relief fund to be used for immigration detention centers and temporary hearing locations for asylum seekers. 

Trump has claimed that the federal government is only giving $750 to survivors of the hurricane. One federal program, Serious Needs Assistance, does provide that amount to survivors but it’s only an initial aid meant to help cover the costs of immediate needs such as groceries, baby formula and medical supplies. A number of other programs and relief efforts supported by the federal government are ongoing. 

A Saturday statement from the White House outlines the relief efforts, noting there are more than 6,400 federal employees on the ground and $110 million has already been spent supporting the recovery efforts. 

“We are sparing no resource as we work to ensure communities across the Southeast have prompt access to Federal resources that will enable them to both purchase essential items and begin their road to recovery and rebuilding,” the statement said. “Unfortunately, as our response and recovery efforts continue, we have seen a large increase in false information circulating online related to the federal response to Hurricane Helene. A number of scam artists, bad-faith actors, and others who want to sow chaos because they think it helps their political interests are promoting disinformation about the recovery effort, including ways to access critical and live-saving resources. This is wrong, dangerous, and it must stop immediately.” 

Republican officials in states affected by the hurricane have called for an end to the “political posturing.” U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said the false claims hurt the aid efforts. 

“The last thing that the victims of Helene need right now is political posturing, finger-pointing, or conspiracy theories that only hurt the response effort,” Tillis said in a statement.

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Vice President Kamala Harris headed to Augusta, Georgia, on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, to view the damage from Hurricane Helene. In this photo, the streets are flooded near Peachtree Creek after the storm brought in heavy rains overnight on Sept. 27, 2024 in Atlanta. (Megan Varner | Getty Images)

WASHINGTON — After the vice presidential debate, voters in one flash poll published Wednesday declared a draw in the meeting between Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Republican Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance.

Tuesday’s debate is the last scheduled in-person meeting between the presidential campaigns. Both Midwestern candidates were cordial and the debate was devoid of any major clashes. The two men even came to a general agreement on some policy issues, like providing families with support for child care and curbing the threat of gun violence.

Voters were split 50-50 on which candidate performed better, according to a flash poll by POLITICO/Focaldata of likely voters that was conducted after the CBS-sponsored event in New York City.

The mostly friendly exchange had some breakout moments, such as Walz pressing Vance on whether former President Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, which Vance didn’t answer.

“I’m pretty shocked by this,” Walz said during the debate. “He lost the election. This is not a debate.”

The next major televised interview with a presidential candidate will be Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, on the CBS news program “60 Minutes.”

“For over half a century, 60 Minutes has invited the Democratic and Republican tickets to appear on our broadcast as Americans head to the polls,” the show posted on social media. “This year, both the Harris and Trump campaigns agreed to sit down with 60 Minutes.”

However, after initially accepting, Trump “has decided not to participate,” the post continued.

The interview will air Monday night at 8 Eastern, but only with Harris.

“Our original invitation to former President Donald Trump to be interviewed on 60 Minutes stands,” according to the post.

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung wrote on social media that while there were initial discussions for an interview, “nothing was ever scheduled or locked in.”

He also took issue with live fact-checking.

Harris travels to Georgia

Harris on Wednesday headed to Augusta, Georgia, alongside Sen. Jon Ossoff, Democrat of Georgia, to survey the damage from Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm that hit Southeastern states — Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. At least 600 people are unaccounted for.

Harris gave an update late Wednesday about ongoing federal efforts in the recovery.

“I’ve been reading and hearing about the work you’ve been doing over the last few days, and I think it really does represent some of the best of what we each know can be done, especially when we coordinate around local, state, federal resources to meet the needs of people who must be seen, who must be heard,” she said during her visit to the Augusta Emergency Operations Center, according to White House pool reports.

Harris is also planning to make a trip to North Carolina in the coming days. The hurricane severely hit western North Carolina.

President Joe Biden was scheduled to visit North Carolina Wednesday and survey the damage in Asheville via a helicopter to avoid disturbing recovery efforts on the ground.

Trump on Monday visited a damaged furniture store in Valdosta, Georgia, where he delivered remarks.

“We’re here today to stand in complete solidarity with the people of Georgia, with all of those suffering in the terrible aftermath of Hurricane Helene,” Trump said.

Longshoremen’s strike

Harris issued a statement Wednesday in support of a strike of unionized dockworkers, part of the International Longshoremen’s Association, which has 85,000 members.

“This strike is about fairness,” she said. “Foreign-owned shipping companies have made record profits and executive compensation has grown. The Longshoremen, who play a vital role transporting essential goods across America, deserve a fair share of these record profits.”

They are striking for higher wages, more health care benefits and a ban on automation of port operations.

The Trump campaign also issued a statement, and said if Trump were president, the strike would have never happened.

“This is only happening because of the inflation brought on by Kamala Harris’ two votes for massive, out-of-control spending, and her decision to cut off energy exploration,” he said. “Americans who thrived under President Trump can’t even get by because of Kamala Harris – this strike is a direct result of her actions.”

Back to the battlegrounds

With less than five weeks to Nov. 5, new polling by the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter Swing State Project Survey shows that Harris is either narrowly leading or tied with Trump in nearly all seven battleground states, except for Georgia.

Harris has a lead within the margin of error in Arizona and Wisconsin, by 2 points; Michigan by 3 points; and in Nevada and Pennsylvania by 1 point. Trump is ahead in Georgia 49% to 47% and the candidates are tied at 49% in North Carolina.

Trump will deliver remarks at a campaign rally in Saginaw, Michigan, on Thursday afternoon.

Harris on Thursday will travel to Wisconsin for a campaign event in Fox Valley before heading to Detroit, Michigan.

On Friday, Vance will head to Lindale, Georgia, to give a speech and Trump will travel to Fayetteville, North Carolina, for a town hall.

Harris will be in Detroit for various campaign events Friday before returning to Washington, D.C.

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