On Wednesday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Source,” Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) stated that while he supports both Ukraine funding and increased money for FEMA, the FEMA funding should be split off from the Ukraine money if need be.
Host Kaitlan Collins asked, “[T]he White House is asking Congress for 12 more billion dollars for that Disaster Relief Fund, but some Republicans have complained that it’s tied to new Ukraine funding as well, do you think that could imperil the passage of that money that they need for that Disaster Relief Fund?”
Moskowitz stated, “That’s a great question. First of all, I have the bill to refund the DRF, which is FEMA’s fund, for $12 billion in the House. I’ve filed that bill. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) filed it in the Senate, so it’s a bipartisan, bicameral bill. Neither of our bills are moving. And so, yes, the Biden administration coupled that together with Ukraine, which, I support the Biden package, but I also support moving these pieces of legislation individually if necessary. The FEMA administrator said these communities, both in Maui and in Florida, are going to have the money that they need for the response. But one of the things that we know is that hurricane season is just beginning. … And reimbursement for the state and these towns will be slowed down, and that’s not something emergency management should be focused on.”
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