US funding for disaster relief low as Hurricane Helene approaches [Video]

The Federal Emergency Management Agency says it has enough money to respond to Hurricane Helene despite a funding shortfall. The Biden-Harris administration has already approved an emergency declaration for the state of Florida, allowing FEMA to begin moving crews and supplies there ahead of the storm. In an interview on Wednesday, Jeremy Greenberg, FEMA response operations division director, said, “We have the resources that we need to preposition the equipment, the teams and the commodities that are going to be available to support those who are impacted.”This comes as FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund is running low for the second hurricane season in a row. The agency has been operating under “Immediate Needs Funding” since last month, forcing the agency to prioritize lifesaving operations while pausing long-term recovery projects from past disasters. On Wednesday, Congress passed a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown and extend funding for federal agencies at …