North Charlotte Today

Today, The Hill published an op-ed by Senator Thom Tillis emphasizing the need for Congress to act swiftly on long-term disaster recovery assistance. In his piece, Tillis addressed the challenges faced by North Carolina in recovering from Hurricane Helene and urged Congress to return from its recess to pass necessary funding.

"The recovery process will be long and difficult and will require years and billions of dollars of assistance," Tillis stated. He highlighted the importance of proactive measures rather than reactive ones for effective disaster recovery. He also led a bipartisan group urging Congress to facilitate long-term recovery for areas affected by hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Tillis stressed the urgency of replenishing funds for disaster relief programs. "The most pressing need is to replenish the Small Business Administration’s disaster loan fund, which has already run out of money," he noted. Many victims lack flood insurance, making SBA's low-interest loans crucial for rebuilding efforts. With depleted funds, delays in processing loans could hinder recovery.

FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund is also at risk, according to Tillis. "The hurricane season isn’t over until November," he warned, noting potential future storms that could exacerbate current issues.

Tillis criticized what he described as a broken federal disaster response system. He pointed out prioritization concerns within the Biden-Harris administration's funding decisions following Hurricane Helene. "Wrong message, wrong time," he remarked regarding allocations made simultaneously for domestic transportation projects and foreign aid.

He also questioned FEMA's focus amid political debates about resource allocation for border security versus natural disasters. Competency issues were another concern raised by Tillis: "The federal government is already too slow and bureaucratic."

To address these challenges, Tillis has introduced legislation aimed at creating a permanent funding process for disaster recovery efforts. He advocated for improved support from FEMA through a bipartisan bill designed to eliminate red tape in accessing needed relief.