Murkowski Supports Disaster Aid
Hurricane, Wildfire Recovery
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) voted in favor of a disaster aid bill to help communities facing hurricane destruction and fighting wildfires. The bill provides additional funding to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as well as funds to account for recent damage caused by wildfires, enabling aid workers to continue critical recovery operations, debris removal and infrastructure repair. The bill passed in a vote of 82-17.
“The devastation we’ve seen from hurricanes this fall has just been overwhelming and almost unfathomable. And while progress has been made on recovery efforts, communities simply have not been able to overcome the challenges they are facing on their own. And while we work on long-term solutions, I’m proud that we are helping to provide substantial relief so those that have been impacted by these natural disasters have the supplies they so desperately need,” said Senator Murkowski. “As devastating wildfires continue to burn, we have secured funding to make forest management programs whole to help prevent these catastrophic fires we are seeing and ensure firefighters have tools they need.”
Bill Highlights:
Department of Homeland Security
- $18.67 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund for major disasters declared under the Stafford Act; $4.9 billion of which may be transferred to the Disaster Assistance Direct Loan Program.
Department of Agriculture
- $184.5 million for the Forest Service for “Wildland Fire Management” for fire borrowing repayment.
- $342 million for the “FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund” for fire borrowing repayment.
Department of Interior
- $50 million for Wildland Fire Management to repay amounts transferred to the Forest Service for wildfire suppression.
