More Than $1.8 Billion in Hurricane Relief Approved So Far: White House

With states in the Southeast still struggling to recover from two massive hurricanes that arrived in quick succession, the Biden administration said Wednesday that it has already approved more than $1.8 billion to help with recovery efforts in the region.

Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused billions of dollars in damages, and rebuilding is expected to take a significant amount of time. The federal government has provided assistance to residents and local officials, with funds for temporary housing, food and other supplies; debris removal; life-saving efforts; and restoration of roads, bridges and other public infrastructure.

In a fact sheet, the White House highlighted some of the assistance details:

* more than $1.8 billion already approved for disaster relief and recovery;
* nearly 8,000 federal personnel on the ground working on recovery;
* about $100 million in aid for 77,000 Hurricane Helene survivors in North Carolina;
* $213 million for 71,000 survivors in Florida;
* $132 million for 146,000 survivors in South Carolina;
* $119 million for 118,000 survivors in Georgia;
* $11.8 million for 2,400 survivors in Tennessee;
* $4.7 million for 1,500 survivors in Virginia;
* an additional $630 million for survivors of Hurricane Milton;
* $48 million in "tentatively approved disaster loan funding" from the Small Business Administration for survivors of both hurricanes. The SBA announced yesterday that it had exhausted its disaster loan fund following a surge of demand and will need Congress to act to provide more resources.

The White House also cited 33 disaster recovery centers that are operating in the affected states, with more expected to open in the coming weeks. Officials said more than 1 million people may be eligible for food assistance through the USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as D-SNAP.