Disaster Relief Resources

What has been done (as of October 10) in response to Hurricane Helene 

Our office will continue to provide updates as we receive them.

The following information taken directly from the updated White House statement on Hurricane Helene Relief.  

• President Biden has ordered 1,500 active-duty troops to move into Western North Carolina to assist with response and recovery efforts – in addition to more than 7,000 Federal personnel. This support supplements more than 6,100 National Guardsmen helping support the response.

• The Administration has already helped thousands of Hurricane Helene survivors jumpstart their recoveries with more than $210 million in Federal assistance – and there is more to come. 

• Over the last several days, the Administration has contacted nearly 450 state, city, and county officials in impacted states to ensure they have the support and resources they need. 

• To date, FEMA has shipped over 15.6 million meals, more than 13.9 million liters of water, more than 505,000 tarps to the region, and installed 157 generators at critical facilities such as hospitals and water treatment plants. 

The White House is releasing updated press releases regarding the federal hurricane response. To stay updated on the Federal response to Hurricane Helene and preparations for Hurricane Milton, click here.

Misinformation and Scams 

There has been a nationwide increase of false information circulating about the federal response to recent weather disasters. Houlahan believes disinformation after a natural disaster is detrimental to relief efforts and can discourage people from seeking life-saving assistance. A crucial way to support relief efforts is to be correctly informed on federal and state resources.  

FEMA has complied a rumor response page in order to help individuals, families, and communities stay safe after Hurricane Helene. 

Do your part to the stop the spread of rumors by doing three easy things: 

1. Find trusted sources of information. 
2. Share information from trusted sources. 
3. Discourage others from sharing information from unverified sources.  

Additionally, scams and malicious cyber activity are common after major natural disasters. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) urges Americans to stay alert to fraudulent emails and social media messages following natural disasters.  

CISA encourages users to review the following resources to avoid falling victim to malicious cyber activity:  

Frequently Asked Questions and Concerns 

How is Rep. Houlahan Supporting Relief Efforts?  

The most efficient way that our office can support relief efforts is through funding FEMA annual appropriation bills. Rep. Houlahan has previously voted to support FEMA appropriations bills. She will continue to do so in the future so states facing weather disasters, like Hurricane Helene or Milton, can get proper funding to support their communities. 

Can Rep. Houlahan hold a fundraiser to support victims of Hurricanes? 

Unfortunately, due to ethical constraints, Congress members cannot hold official fundraisers or donation drives. Members of Congress cannot use government resources to support businesses, charities, or any unofficial activities. Therefore, supporting government agencies such as FEMA is the best way for our office to support emergency relief.   

Why is federal funding being delegated to immigration and not relief programs supporting victims of extreme weather in the U.S.? 

No money is being diverted from disaster response or FEMA. FEMA disaster relief efforts and individual assistance are being funded through the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF), which is funded annually by Congress. Funds from the DRF and FEMA have not been redirected to any non-disaster-related purposes. 

Is FEMA out of funds?  

No, FEMA currently has enough money right now for immediate response and recovery needs. Federal law mandates that FEMA provides a report each month on DRF funding activities, you can view these reports here.  

Does Rep. Houlahan support removing funding from FEMA? 

No, Houlahan does not support removing funding from FEMA for any purpose. She has previously voted to support FEMA appropriations and will continue to do so. 

How Congress Funds Disaster Relief 

Congress funds disaster relief through the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF), a yearly budget set up by Congress and managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It is the primary source of money for federal disaster relief programs, helping states, local areas, tribes, and territories respond to emergencies. This is authorized by a law called the Stafford Act, which outlines the federal government’s response to emergencies.  

Rep. Houlahan voted YES to help pass the most recent appropriation bill for disaster relief, which was the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. This bill provided upwards of $20 billion for supplemental appropriations for FEMA. When a state or territory is hit by a weather disaster, they can ask FEMA for help. If you want to learn more about the funding process for disaster relief, click here. Through FEMA, individual disaster assistance is available for immediate response of an incident and afterward. You can apply for individual assistance here.  

In 2021, when Hurricane Ida impacted Pennsylvania, FEMA assisted our community before, during, and after the weather event. FEMA representatives met face-to-face with our community members at the FEMA Disaster Recover Center in Downington, that Houlahan visited in 2021. 

In 2023, FEMA awarded the City of Coatesville a $621,360 Flood Mitigation Assistance grant to design and engineer long-term resilience solutions to reduce the potential for flooding in the city. 

Right now, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 will fund FEMA until December. If Congress is called to take a vote on emergency funding for disaster relief, Rep. Houlahan would immediately return to D.C. to take a vote.