NORTH CAROLINA -- The plan agreed to by lawmakers in Washington to avoid another government shutdown does not include disaster aid funding that could help victims of Hurricane Florence in North Carolina.

  • Lawmakers tossed around disaster aid as part of government funding negotiations, but it did not make it into the final compromise.
  • A bipartisan group of lawmakers sent a letter to Congressional leadership, urging a vote on disaster assistance soon.
  • If lawmakers begin to work on a supplement disaster aid package, it remains to be seen if both parties and chambers will be able to agree on a figure.

Over the past two months, lawmakers tossed around disaster aid as part of government funding negotiations, but it did not make it into the final compromise. The money would go to help communities impacted by hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters.

A congressional aide indicated a supplemental funding bill will be considered in coming weeks.

In the Senate, a bipartisan group of lawmakers sent a letter to Congressional leadership, urging a vote on disaster assistance soon. North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis and Richard Burr both added their names to the letter.

In that letter, the lawmakers expressed concern that state and local governments may not have the resources needed to recover from natural disasters without Congress stepping in.

“It has to be a priority. We cannot wait months to get that passed to the president,” Tillis said in an interview.

Disaster aid bills floated on Capitol Hill in recent weeks included up to about $14 billion to help communities across the country. Some of that money would assist farmers who lost crops and livestock.

Money for infrastructure repairs and potential construction projects on military bases like Camp Lejeune was also included.

For now, Congressman G.K. Butterfield, D-1st District, offered some reassurance to families impacted in North Carolina.

“Disaster money is in the pipeline. FEMA told us they would have enough resources to get them through the end of February,” he said. “But we do need to replenish that money and get more resources into North Carolina.”

In the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, Congress approved about $1.1 billion in disaster relief for North Carolina. Tillis and others labeled it a “down payment.”

If lawmakers begin to work on a supplement disaster aid package, it remains to be seen if both parties and chambers will be able to agree on a figure. Part of the fight may center on how much funding to grant to Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.

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