Biden commits $500 million to restore power in hurricane-ravaged Florida

President Joe Biden visited the Tampa area of Florida on Sunday to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Milton, the second devastating storm to hit the region within weeks. During the visit, Biden pledged over $500 million to aid in the restoration of Florida’s heavily damaged electrical grid, which has left millions of residents and businesses without power.

Hurricane Milton, which made landfall on October 10, followed closely behind Hurricane Helene, adding further strain to the state’s recovery efforts. At the peak of Hurricane Milton’s impact, approximately three million homes and businesses in Florida lost electricity. As of now, over 825,000 remain without power, according to data from PowerOutage.us.

The severe weather events have placed a significant burden on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), with recovery efforts stretching across multiple states. Biden, after conducting an aerial tour of the damage, expressed some relief that the storm’s impact was less catastrophic than initially feared but acknowledged the devastating effects it had on many individuals and communities.

The president’s commitment to provide over half a billion dollars in aid to help repair Florida’s electrical grid comes amidst growing concerns over federal disaster relief funding. Biden’s pledge aims to assist in the recovery process, but the road to securing additional financial support faces challenges as political tensions escalate on Capitol Hill.

Some lawmakers have called for Congress to reconvene early to negotiate additional disaster relief funding for FEMA, which is already under immense pressure due to the scale of damage across multiple states. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson indicated that Congress will stick to its original schedule, returning after the upcoming elections on November 5 to address the funding issue.

President Biden emphasized the importance of ensuring that recovery funds are quickly distributed.  Hurricane Helene, which hit multiple states, including Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida, left a known death toll of 227 people.

The storm caused widespread destruction, particularly in Florida, where recovery efforts were still underway when Hurricane Milton struck. Milton, which claimed at least 17 lives, unleashed powerful winds and deadly storm surges that flattened homes, overturned vehicles, and tore down power lines in western and central Florida.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had ordered emergency crews to work around the clock to clear debris left by Hurricane Helene ahead of Milton’s arrival. However, much of the wreckage remained as the second hurricane landed, compounding the devastation.

The hurricanes have also intensified political tensions as the U.S. presidential election campaign heats up. Former President Donald Trump falsely accused the Biden administration of diverting FEMA funds for political purposes, claiming that the funds were being used to benefit “illegal immigrants” to secure their votes. Vice President Kamala Harris, who is running against Trump, swiftly condemned his remarks, calling them “the height of irresponsibility and, frankly, callousness.”

As Florida grapples with the aftermath of these powerful storms, Biden’s pledge of $500 million provides a crucial lifeline to help restore power and rebuild communities, but it also underscores the urgent need for swift political action to secure additional disaster relief funding in the months ahead.