All Americans should be 'outraged' over Mayorkas' comments on lack of FEMA funds, says Florida AG Moody

[ralliann]

The subject of this thread is money that FEMA, a federal agency, has been spending to help house migrants, in accordence with federal laws passed by Congress since 2019. I'm not spinning anything.

You and others have also attempted to make the subject how long this program was in place. THIS PROGRAM appears to have begun in 2023, going through FEMA

 

[Arcangl86]

You and others have also attempted to make the subject how long this program was in place. THIS PROGRAM appears to have begun in 2023, going through FEMA

THIS PROGRAM has existed since 2019 but was renamed in 2023. It's not something that was invented by the Biden Admin, and even if it was, the money in it was specifically allocated to it by Congress for this exact purpose. It's also a minuscule portion of the FEMA budget. The DIaster Relief fund is currently funded somewhere to the tune of $20B. The Shelter and Service Program on the other hand is funded at $650M which works out to be only about 3% of the amount of money allocated to disaster relief. So even if every cent in that program went to disaster relief, it wouldn't really affect the current capacity to respond to natural disaster.

 

[ralliann]

You and others have also attempted to make the subject how long this program was in place. THIS PROGRAM appears to have begun in 2023, going through FEMA

From politi- fact
Detention, deportation...
Begin quote
" In 2018, Homeland Security transferred about $10 million from FEMA to ICE to pay for detention beds and for the transportation of immigrants ordered deported." End quote

The same article says Dems were opposed, two dems quoted

Begin quote
Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said President Donald Trump’s administration was "shortchanging preparedness" and "endangering America" in favor of furthering the border agenda.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., noted the timing of the decision, saying, "Stealing from appropriated funds is always unacceptable, but to pick the pockets of disaster relief funding in order to fund an appalling, inhumane family incarceration plan is staggering – and to do so on the eve of hurricane season is stunningly reckless."

 

[Hans Blaster]

The Shelter and Support Services Program. Here is the relevant appropriation by Congress.

No wonder I couldn't find it. I was looking under "FEMA" and it was under "CBP". It's not disaster aid being diverted to services for migrants, but if anything *enforcement* money being moved to another sub-agency inside DHS that is better equipped to deal with the nature of sheltering, etc.

 

[7thKeeper]

You and others have also attempted to make the subject how long this program was in place. THIS PROGRAM appears to have begun in 2023, going through FEMA

No, it was 2019. I don't remember which thread on this topic it was posted in already, but someone linked and posted the relevant section from Congress' papers from there that allocated budget to this.

 

[ralliann]

No, it was 2019. I don't remember which thread on this topic it was posted in already, but someone linked and posted the relevant section from Congress' papers from there that allocated budget to this.

https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=03acfad7a1b02e21JmltdHM9MTcyODI1OTIwMCZpZ3VpZD0xY2ExZDg5Ny0xODRlLTZkMjItMWRhMi1kM2U0MTlkMjZjNjMmaW5zaWQ9NTQ2OQ&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=1ca1d897-184e-6d22-1da2-d3e419d26c63&psq=When+did+fEMA+pay+tyo+house+illegal+immigrants&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucG9saXRpZmFjdC5jb20vYXJ0aWNsZS8yMDE5L29jdC8wMi9mZW1hLW1vbmV5LXJlcHJvZ3JhbW1lZC1pbW1pZ3JhdGlvbi1lbmZvcmNlbWVudC13aC8jOn46dGV4dD1JbiUyMDIwMTglMkMlMjBIb21lbGFuZCUyMFNlY3VyaXR5JTIwdHJhbnNmZXJyZWQlMjBhYm91dCUyMCUyNDEwJTIwbWlsbGlvbixhbmQlMjBmb3IlMjB0aGUlMjB0cmFuc3BvcnRhdGlvbiUyMG9mJTIwaW1taWdyYW50cyUyMG9yZGVyZWQlMjBkZXBvcnRlZC4&ntb=1

You have it right there in the article (october 2019) what the money was for. Border enforcement law. It was not money to do what is being done since 2023. There was a remain in Mexico policy implemented REMEMBER? The dems did not want what Trump was doing with the BORDER. Of course we need money to enforce the border.

 

[Oompa Loompa]

Instead of just giving more money maybe someone needs to look into how the money they had was spent

Agreed. The government doesn't have a money problem. They have a spending problem. Maybe, just maybe, if the government hadn't decided to move 1Bn to house illegal immigrants, there wouldn't have been a need for more funding.

 

[Hans Blaster]

hxxps://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=03acfad7a1b02e21JmltdHM9MTcyODI1OTIwMCZpZ3VpZD0xY2ExZDg5Ny0xODRlLTZkMjItMWRhMi1kM2U0MTlkMjZjNjMmaW5zaWQ9NTQ2OQ&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=1ca1d897-184e-6d22-1da2-d3e419d26c63&psq=When+did+fEMA+pay+tyo+house+illegal+immigrants&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucG9saXRpZmFjdC5jb20vYXJ0aWNsZS8yMDE5L29jdC8wMi9mZW1hLW1vbmV5LXJlcHJvZ3JhbW1lZC1pbW1pZ3JhdGlvbi1lbmZvcmNlbWVudC13aC8jOn46dGV4dD1JbiUyMDIwMTglMkMlMjBIb21lbGFuZCUyMFNlY3VyaXR5JTIwdHJhbnNmZXJyZWQlMjBhYm91dCUyMCUyNDEwJTIwbWlsbGlvbixhbmQlMjBmb3IlMjB0aGUlMjB0cmFuc3BvcnRhdGlvbiUyMG9mJTIwaW1taWdyYW50cyUyMG9yZGVyZWQlMjBkZXBvcnRlZC4&ntb=1

that's not a link to an article. It is a tracker-laden search result and perhaps a link from that search result page. Why don't *you* click on the link and then copy the URL of the page it takes you to. [I have intentionally broken your link, as no one should click on the search result link from anyone else.]

You have it right there in the article (october 2019) what the money was for. Border enforcement law. It was not money to do what is being done since 2023. There was a remain in Mexico policy implemented REMEMBER? The dems did not want what Trump was doing with the BORDER. Of course we need money to enforce the border.

When you have a usable link, then we can discuss your claim.

 

[7thKeeper]

ht//www.bing.com You have it right ... course we need money to enforce the border.

You must think I'm stupid if you expect me to click on a link like that.

 

[ralliann]

You must think I'm stupid if you expect me to click on a link like that.

It is the only way I know to do it.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Exploitation of natural disaster to make political point in election year

 

[ralliann]

Exploitation of natural disaster to make political point in election year

Exploiting of a man made disaster to gain political advantage is worse.

 

[7thKeeper]

It is the only way I know to do it.

And that I don't believe for a moment. You knew how to copy paste a Bing search URL, you know how to copy paste the URL of the actual article you talked about.

 

[ralliann]

And that I don't believe for a moment. You knew how to copy paste a Bing search URL, you know how to copy paste the URL of the actual article you talked about.

I do? I simply highlighted and copied. It worked when I clicked on it. I checked it because sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Once or twice it even looked like some of the ones most put up there. Don;'t know the difference it how it made the difference.
If you don't believe me Oh well. I do not even know what a URL is...LOL Oh well.

 

[RestoreTheJoy]

More than $20 billion is currently available for people affected by the Hurricane. FEMA can get more if Congress will approve it.

FEMA has enough money for immediate response and recovery needs. If you were affected by Helene, do not hesitate to apply for disaster assistance as there is a variety of help available for different needs. FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund has enough funding to support Hurricane Helene efforts and FEMA has what it needs for immediate response and recovery efforts.


People are already seeing $750 showing up in their accounts for food and essentials and receiving hotel vouchers. Of course it will take longer for other types of relief.


The Republican led congress needs to return from vacation ASAP and approve additional funds for FEMA. There will be another major hurricane hitting Florida next week.

No, not 20 billion. 20 million now "available" is what the news sources are saying...whatever that means.
"Do not hesitate to apply"....once you can get off the mountain, out of the rubbish, and find some computer somewhere.

I cannot verify that anyone has received $750 emergency money yet- from the emergency 11 days ago. Got a news link on that one?

Only the House has a majority of Republicans by a couple. The Senate is Democrat-led by Schumer. So it is not a "Republican Congress" by any means.

 

[JosephZ]

No, not 20 billion. 20 million now "available" is what the news sources are saying...whatever that means.

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.

Full list of Republicans who voted against FEMA funding before Helene hit

Congress approved $20 billion for FEMA's disaster relief fund as Hurricane Helene was heading toward Florida.

www.newsweek.com

I cannot verify that anyone has received $750 emergency money yet- from the emergency 11 days ago. Got a news link on that one?

More than $27 million FEMA Individual Assistance funds have been paid so far to Western NC disaster survivors and more than 83,000 people have registered for Individual Assistance. Nearly 1,400 people are now housed in hotels through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance.

Hurricane Helene Recovery progresses in Western North Carolina

Comunicado de Prensa en español

www.ncdps.gov

Only the House has a majority of Republicans by a couple. The Senate is Democrat-led by Schumer. So it is not a "Republican Congress" by any means.

It only takes a couple. Besides that, the Republican speaker of the house refuses to take up any requests for additional funding for FEMA until after the election.

 

[Hans Blaster]

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.

I read the statutory language of the supplemental appropriations bill and it wasn't clear to me if it was the same $20B as FY24 being added, or that amount covered at the same rate as last year (30% of the year, so 30% of $20B = ~$6B).

From what you said and some other reporting it does sound like the full year amount from last year repeated. I also heard some reporting that the typical claims on that fund from qualified disasters is running about triple the normal budgeted amount (so ~$50-60 B) which is why there keep being disaster supplementals to cover the shortfall.

 

[RestoreTheJoy]

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.

Full list of Republicans who voted against FEMA funding before Helene hit

Congress approved $20 billion for FEMA's disaster relief fund as Hurricane Helene was heading toward Florida.

www.newsweek.com

More than $27 million FEMA Individual Assistance funds have been paid so far to Western NC disaster survivors and more than 83,000 people have registered for Individual Assistance. Nearly 1,400 people are now housed in hotels through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance.

Hurricane Helene Recovery progresses in Western North Carolina

Comunicado de Prensa en español

www.ncdps.gov

View attachment 355593

View attachment 355592


It only takes a couple. Besides that, the Republican speaker of the house refuses to take up any requests for additional funding for FEMA until after the election.

Ok, I see that the Newsweek article says this: 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.

I see this (and I note now that it is from the day before):

Biden-Harris Administration Provides More Than $20 Million to Hurricane Helene Survivors, Ongoing Search and Rescue Operations Continue in North Carolina​

Biden-Harris Administration Provides More Than $20 Million to Hurricane Helene Survivors, Ongoing Search and Rescue Operations Continue in North Carolina

So...is that money actually available that has been approved by Congress right now? I don't see a date. Or is it to be available in the future?

I guess that is where the question lies for me. At any rate, thanks for posting that link.

Individual assistance funds are not the $750 payments.

FEMA provides Individual Assistance (IA) to eligible individuals and households who have sustained losses as a direct result of a disaster that receives a federal disaster declaration.

• Homeowners and renters in officially designated counties who sustained damage to their homes, vehicles, personal property, businesses or inventory may apply for disaster assistance.

This statement you posted is pretty vague. Have the Helene survivors been paid? Some past storm? This doesn't say.

Then there are a bunch of random people people posting on some site... in response to an unnamed post. May be true. May not be true. Who knows? I hope they got funds but this isn't any sort of verification.

 

[JosephZ]

So...is that money actually available that has been approved by Congress right now?

Yes, the money is available now.

Individual assistance funds are not the $750 payments.

The $750 comes from the Individual Assistance Funds.

Have the Helene survivors been paid? Some past storm?

Yes.

Throughout the Southeast, FEMA has already helped thousands of Hurricane Helene survivors jumpstart their recoveries with more than $45 million in flexible, upfront funding.

Then there are a bunch of random people people posting on some site... in response to an unnamed post. May be true. May not be true. Who knows?

Those are real people who belong to a community Facebook group that I am a member of. The community was one of the hardest hit in North Carolina. The people that live there have no reason to lie. Local news media in the state has also been reporting people have been receiving the money for over a week now.

 

[ralliann]

Yes, the money is available now.


The $750 comes from the Individual Assistance Funds.

View attachment 355688

Yes.

Throughout the Southeast, FEMA has already helped thousands of Hurricane Helene survivors jumpstart their recoveries with more than $45 million in flexible, upfront funding.


Those are real people who belong to a community Facebook group that I am a member of. The community was one of the hardest hit in North Carolina. The people that live there have no reason to lie. Local news media in the state has also been reporting people have been receiving the money for over a week now.

Reporters also talk to people who live there. More likely more aware than some people who live there.