Biden Deploys 1,000 Troops in Southeast as Feds Warn Emergency Funds Running Low

President Joe Biden traveled to South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia today, to review the damage caused by Hurricane Helene, which killed at least 160 people with a deluge of water throughout parts of the Southeast late last week.

Before leaving Washington, Biden deployed up to 1,000 active-duty troops to the area to help with recovery efforts. They join roughly 6,000 National Guard troops already on the ground in six states.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters that more than 4,800 federal employees have been deployed to the region to assist local officials, with the federal government providing about 8.8 million meals, 7.4 million liters of water and 150 emergency power generators to storm-battered areas.

Mayorkas also warned that the Federal Emergency Management Agency needs more funding. “We are meeting the immediate needs with the money that we have,” he said. “We are expecting another hurricane hitting — we do not have the funds, FEMA does not have the funds, to make it through the season.”

Although Biden said earlier this week that he might call Congress back to Washington to provide emergency funding, the issue will likely be on hold until after the election. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday that it will take time to figure out how much damage the storm caused and how much will be needed for relief spending. “We wouldn’t even conceivably have the request ready before we get back in November,” he told The New York Times. “There’s no necessity for Congress to come back.”