Biden asks Congress for more flood recovery money for Eastern Kentucky
The Biden administration is requesting Congress include $100 million in its end-of-the-year supplemental budget to assist Eastern Kentucky’s recover from devastating summer flooding.
The White House Office of Management and Budget formally sent the proposal -- which includes money for Puerto Rico, Florida and Kentucky -- on Friday.
Congress has until Dec. 16 to pass appropriations to keep the government functioning and avoid a shutdown.
“As part of that process, the Congress has an opportunity and obligation to address three additional and critical funding needs that should earn bipartisan support: protecting the American people from COVID-19 and saving lives globally; supporting the people of Ukraine; and helping communities across the nation recover from devastating natural disasters,” said Dhara Nayyar, a White House spokeswoman.
Heavy rains, combined with a drought, led to severe flash flooding that swelled creeks and rivers to all-time highs in July. Thirty-nine people died, hundreds of bridges were damaged or washed away. More than 13,000 households have applied for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Kentucky lawmakers passed $212 million to assist with relief and President Joe Biden visited the area in August.
This $100 million allocation would specifically assist Kentucky’s agricultural producers, whose low-lying plots of land were rendered unworkable due to the floods.
With Republicans poised to take control of the House in January, Democrats will be incentivized to get as many of their priorities included in the ominbus spending package. The bill will require the support of at least 10 Republicans in the Democratic-controlled Senate to avoid a filibuster.
This story was originally published November 18, 2022 at 4:03 PM.
