“I think he trusts my judgment and my desire to help, and I trust him to be able to suggest that this is not about politics, it’s about taking care of the people of the state,” he said. Speaking about his interactions with the GOP presidential candidate, Biden offered praise for DeSantis Wednesday. He joked Thursday that he should have the Republican governor “on direct dial” given how often they’re speaking. The governor was set to meet with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell to assess needs on Thursday. “We need this money done, we need this disaster relief request met, we need to do it in September, we can’t wait,” Biden said.īiden spoke with DeSantis multiple times ahead of and during the hurricane. “I’m calling on Congress to make sure you’re able to have the funds to be able to continue to show up and meet the needs of the American people to deal with immediate crises that we’re facing right now, as well as the long-term commitments we have to make to finish the job in Maui and elsewhere,” Biden said.īiden also offered a sideways swipe at lawmakers who’ve questioned the need for additional funding for the agency, questioning how, in the wake of twin disasters this month, anyone could question the need for more funding. In remarks from the FEMA National Response Coordination Center, Biden took the opportunity to call on Congress to pass funding for the federal Disaster Relief Fund. The statement added, “The president reiterated that the people of Florida have his full support as they recover from the storm.” “This morning, President Biden called Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to convey that he has signed a Major Disaster Declaration and ordered all available federal resources to help with the continued response to Tropical Storm Idalia,” the White House said in a statement. Biden spoke with DeSantis by phone earlier Thursday to inform him of the declaration. The news of the trip comes hours after Biden formally approved a major disaster declaration for the state. Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida Wednesday morning as a powerful Category 3 storm and has been downgraded to a tropical storm as it makes its way up the East Coast, causing flooding, significant property damage and power outages across Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. She noted Biden “has been receiving regular updates from Administrator Criswell and from me on the latest developments with Hurricane Idalia, and also of course with the ongoing recovery operations in Hawaii on the island of Maui.” Ron DeSantis while in the state.īiden will “visit the areas most impacted by the hurricane,” White House homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall told reporters at the White House Thursday. On Friday, he confirmed to CNN’s Arlette Saenz that he would meet with Republican Gov. “I’m going to Florida Saturday morning,” Biden said, after delivering brief remarks at Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters after thanking staff for their work responding to the storm. President Joe Biden said Thursday that he plans to travel to Florida Saturday morning after Hurricane Idalia battered the state earlier this week.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |