As Hurricane Helene careened toward Florida's Panhandle, numerous Republicans voted against extending funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Last week, Congress approved $20 billion for FEMA's disaster relief fund as part of a stopgap spending bill to fund the government through December 20. But the measure left out billions of dollars in requested supplemental disaster funding.
The Senate approved the measure by a 78-18 vote on September 25 after it passed the House in a 341-82 vote. Republicans supplied the no votes in both chambers.
Some of the Republicans who voted against the bill represent states that have been hard hit by Helene, including Florida Representative Matt Gaetz.
Damaged houses are seen after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Horseshoe Beach, Florida, on September 28. Dozens of Republicans voted against a bill to continue funding the Federal Emergency Management Agency before Helene hit Florida. Damaged houses are seen after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Horseshoe Beach, Florida, on September 28. Dozens of Republicans voted against a bill to continue funding the Federal Emergency Management Agency before Helene hit Florida. Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images
Helene hit Florida as a Category 4 storm last Thursday, before plowing through several other states in the Southeast. The devastation could cost up to $160 billion, according to an estimate by AccuWeather.
Some Republicans railed against FEMA funding being allocated for assisting migrants after Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters on Wednesday that FEMA will run out of money before the hurricane season is over. The agency is facing a multibillion-dollar deficit, even after imposing new spending restrictions.
"We are meeting the immediate needs with the money that we have. We are expecting another hurricane hitting," Mayorkas said. "FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season."
Mayorkas' comments led some Republicans to accuse the Biden administration of diverting funds intended for disaster relief, which a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Newsweek was "completely false."
President Joe Biden said Monday he may call Congress back into session during a break to pass emergency supplemental funding, as some lawmakers from states hit by Helene have urged.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has said that the FEMA funding included in the stopgap spending bill approved last week is sufficient and that there is no need for lawmakers to return early.
Below are all the GOP lawmakers that voted against that bill:
Representative Dan Bishop of North Carolina
Representative Jeff Duncan of South Carolina
Representative Russell Fry of South Carolina
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia
Representative Anna Paulina Luna of Florida
Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina
Representative Alex Mooney of West Virginia
Representative Ralph Norman of South Carolina
Representative Claudia Tenney of New York
Representative William Timmons of South Carolina
Representative Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey
Representative Beth Van Duyne of Texas
Representative Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin
Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina
Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina
P_a_s_g_i_t_24 on October 7th, 2024 at 00:09 UTC »
Senate Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee Senator Mike Braun of Indiana Senator Katie Britt of Alabama Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho Senator Deb Fischer of Nebraska Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin Senator Mike Lee of Utah Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky Senator Pete Ricketts of Nebraska Senator James Risch of Idaho Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama
House Representative James Baird of Indiana Representative Troy Balderson of Ohio Representative Jim Banks of Indiana Representative Aaron Bean of Florida Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona Representative Gus Bilirakis of Florida Representative Dan Bishop of North Carolina Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado Representative Mike Bost of Illinois Representative Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma Representative Tim Burchett of Tennessee Representative Eric Burlison of Missouri Representative Kat Cammack of Florida Representative Michael Cloud of Texas Representative Andrew Clyde of Georgia Representative Mike Collins of Georgia Representative Eli Crane of Arizona Representative John Curtis of Utah Representative Warren Davidson of Ohio Representative Byron Donalds of Florida Representative Jeff Duncan of South Carolina Representative Ron Estes of Kansas Representative Mike Ezell of Mississippi Representative Randy Feenstra of Iowa Representative Brad Finstad of Minnesota Representative Michelle Fischbach of Minnesota Representative Russell Fry of South Carolina Representative Russ Fulcher of Idaho Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas Representative Bob Good of Virginia Representative Lance Gooden of Texas Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia Representative Morgan Griffith of Virginia Representative Michael Guest of Mississippi Representative Harriet Hageman of Wyoming Representative Andy Harris of Maryland Representative Clay Higgins of Louisiana Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio Representative John Joyce of Pennsylvania Representative Trent Kelly of Mississippi Representative Darin LaHood of Illinois Representative Laurel Lee of Florida Representative Debbie Lesko of Arizona Representative Greg Lopez of Colorado Representative Anna Paulina Luna of Florida Representative Morgan Lutrell of Texas Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina Representative Tracey Mann of Kansas Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky Representative Tom McClintock of California Representative Rich McCormick of Georgia Representative Mary Miller of Illinois Representative Max Miller of Ohio Representative Cory Mills of Florida Representative Alex Mooney of West Virginia Representative Barry Moore of Alabama Representative Nathaniel Moran of Texas Representative Ralph Norman of South Carolina Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee Representative Gary Palmer of Alabama Representative Scott Perry of Pennsylvania Representative Bill Posey of Florida Representative John Rose of Tennessee Representative Matt Rosendale of Montana Representative Chip Roy of Texas Representative David Schweikert of Arizona Representative Keith Self of Texas Representative Victoria Spartz of Indiana Representative Claudia Tenney of New York Representative William Timmons of South Carolina Representative Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey Representative Beth Van Duyne of Texas Representative Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin Representative Mike Waltz of Florida Representative Randy Weber of Texas Representative Daniel Webster of Florida Representative Bruce Westerman of Arkansas Representative Roger Williams of Texas Representative Rudy Yakym of Indianachillywanton on October 6th, 2024 at 23:36 UTC »
The list — only Republicans voted “no”:
HouseRep. James Baird of Indiana\ Rep. Troy Balderson of Ohio\ Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana\ Rep. Aaron Bean of Florida\ Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona\ Rep. Gus Bilirakis of Florida\ Rep. Dan Bishop of North Carolina\ Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado\ Rep. Mike Bost of Illinois\ Rep. Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma\ Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee\ Rep. Eric Burlison of Missouri\ Rep. Kat Cammack of Florida\ Rep. Michael Cloud of Texas\ Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia\ Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia\ Rep. Eli Crane of Arizona\ Rep. John Curtis of Utah\ Rep. Warren Davidson of Ohio\ Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida\ Rep. Jeff Duncan of South Carolina\ Rep. Ron Estes of Kansas\ Rep. Mike Ezell of Mississippi\ Rep. Randy Feenstra of Iowa\ Rep. Brad Finstad of Minnesota\ Rep. Michelle Fischbach of Minnesota\ Rep. Russell Fry of South Carolina\ Rep. Russ Fulcher of Idaho\ Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida\ Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas\ Rep. Bob Good of Virginia\ Rep. Lance Gooden of Texas\ Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona\ Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia\ Rep. Morgan Griffith of Virginia\ Rep. Michael Guest of Mississippi\ Rep. Harriet Hageman of Wyoming\ Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland\ Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana\ Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio\ Rep. John Joyce of Pennsylvania\ Rep. Trent Kelly of Mississippi\ Rep. Darin LaHood of Illinois\ Rep. Laurel Lee of Florida\ Rep. Debbie Lesko of Arizona\ Rep. Greg Lopez of Colorado\ Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida\ Rep. Morgan Lutrell of Texas\ Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina\ Rep. Tracey Mann of Kansas\ Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky\ Rep. Tom McClintock of California\ Rep. Rich McCormick of Georgia\ Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois\ Rep. Max Miller of Ohio\ Rep. Cory Mills of Florida\ Rep. Alex Mooney of West Virginia\ Rep. Barry Moore of Alabama\ Rep. Nathaniel Moran of Texas\ Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina\ Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee\ Rep. Gary Palmer of Alabama\ Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania\ Rep. Bill Posey of Florida\ Rep. John Rose of Tennessee\ Rep. Matt Rosendale of Montana\ Rep. Chip Roy of Texas\ Rep. David Schweikert of Arizona\ Rep. Keith Self of Texas\ Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana\ Rep. Claudia Tenney of New York\ Rep. William Timmons of South Carolina\ Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey\ Rep. Beth Van Duyne of Texas\ Rep. Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin\ Rep. Mike Waltz of Florida\ Rep. Randy Weber of Texas\ Rep. Daniel Webster of Florida\ Rep. Bruce Westerman of Arkansas\ Rep. Roger Williams of Texas\ Rep. Rudy Yakym of Indiana
SenateSen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee\ Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana\ Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama\ Sen. Ted Budd of North Carolina\ Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho\ Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska\ Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee\ Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri\ Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin\ Sen. Mike Lee of Utah\ Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas\ Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma\ Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky\ Sen. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska\ Sen. James Risch of Idaho\ Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri\ Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina\ Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama
EDIT: Someone asked how to see votes in Congress — https://www.senate.gov/legislative/HowTo/how_to_votes.htm
fairoaks2 on October 6th, 2024 at 23:31 UTC »
Some of the legislators yelling the loudest about FEMA are the ones who voted against them.