U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, is pushing for Congres to pass an updated $100 billion disaster funding request, submitted by the White House on Monday, before lawmakers leave for the winter break. 

What You Need To Know

  • U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz: 'We cannot leave town for the holidays next month without passing the long-term relief that survivors need and deserve. This is not optional. We need to get this done'
  • Schatz is expected to press administration officials on recovery efforts on Maui in a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Wednesday.
  • The administration’s request includes $40 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Relief Fund, which, despite a recent $20 billion boost, has been rapidly depleted by a series of catastrophic natural disasters over the last two years
  • Schatz and the rest of the Hawaii Congressional delegation have been pressing for immediate and increased disaster recovery and relief funding to help those still recovering from the deadly 2023 Maui wildfires and others affected by severe natural disasters

 

“Maui and communities across the country hit by disasters can’t rebuild alone,” said Schatz, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “They need federal support. That means immediately passing supplemental disaster funding. Congress must do the thing we’ve always done and show up for survivors for as long as they need help. We cannot leave town for the holidays next month without passing the long-term relief that survivors need and deserve. This is not optional. We need to get this done.”

Schatz is expected to press administration officials on recovery efforts on Maui in a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Wednesday.

The administration’s request includes $40 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Relief Fund, which, despite a recent $20 billion boost, has been rapidly depleted by a series of catastrophic natural disasters over the last two years.

Schatz and the rest of the Hawaii Congressional delegation have been pressing for immediate and increased disaster recovery and relief funding to help those still recovering from the deadly 2023 Maui wildfires and others affected by severe natural disasters.

Last week, Schatz took to the Senate floor to call for passage of flexible, long-term assistance in the form of Community Development Block Grant Disaster Relief.

“Survivors in Lahaina and in more than 20 other states aren’t asking for a miracle,” Schatz told his Senate colleagues. “All they want is to return to life as they knew it — to go to work, to drop their kids off at school, to come back to a home of their own. A life of stability and safety and security. And to do that, they need our help.”

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.