California Seeks Disaster Funding to Rebuild Communities Devastated by Disaster
Gov. Gavin Newsom has requested $40 billion in federal disaster aid to help California rebuild communities devastated by the Palisades and Eaton fires. In a letter to congressional leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Newsom outlined the need for immediate assistance to support residents and restore infrastructure.
“I’m asking Congress to provide disaster funding to help Californians recover and rebuild from the devastating Los Angeles wildfires,” Newsom announced via social media. “It’s all hands on deck to support our fellow Americans and get them back on their feet to begin rebuilding as soon as possible.”
The proposed aid package includes $16.8 billion from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, primarily for property and infrastructure rebuilding, and $5 billion for debris cleanup. An additional $9.9 billion would come from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for grants to homeowners, renters, and businesses. The request also includes $5.29 billion in loans from the Small Business Administration, $4.32 billion in recovery grants for local governments from the Economic Development Administration, and $2 billion in low-income housing tax credits from the Internal Revenue Service.
Newsom acknowledged in his letter that further aid might be needed in the future, stating, “The total impact on California’s economy will take years to fully quantify.”
Congressman Brad Sherman of the 32nd District made a social media press statement that said, I support the Governor’s $40 billion in requested funding, proportionate with the scale of this disaster, which my constituents urgently need in order to rebuild their homes and their lives.” and included a full statement on his website.
Some Republican leaders have stated that any federal disaster relief for California would come with strings attached. Previously, Trump had referred to the Governor by the derisive nickname “Newscum” and had said that some of the other stipulations would require changes to California’s “water policies, forestry policies,” and require the state to adopt voter ID laws.
During a visit to the Palisades Fire area, former President Donald Trump described the devastation as looking like a “bomb had gone off.” and promised that they would “take care of things.”
However, at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington on Friday, Trump’s envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, said federal aid would come with stipulations.
“We are going to have strings on the money that we give to California,” Grenell said, according to Politico. He said one potential condition would be reducing or eliminating the authority of the California Coastal Commission, which he referred to as “a disaster” and “an unelected group of people” who are “crazy woke left.” State voters established the California Coastal Commission, and the CCC has previously denied requests from Elon Musk’s SpaceX for launch site expansions. Grenell, a California resident, added, “As a Californian, I would be all for it.”
California officials have yet to respond to these proposed conditions, but the debate over disaster aid is expected to continue as Congress reviews Newsom’s request.
