House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA.) said Congress will not be cutting their recess short to pass additional disaster relief funding.
President Joe Biden along with several lawmakers from some of the states hardest hit by Hurricane Helene have been pressing for Congress to return early from their October recess to pass disaster relief funding in the wake of the deadly storm that left more than 200 people dead and millions in property damages across six southeastern states.
Johnson confirmed to Politico on Sunday that Congress will not be passing additional disaster relief until after lawmakers return.
The House and Senate aren’t expected to return until Nov. 12, after Election Day.
“Speaker Mike Johnson will NOT be calling the House back early to vote on a disaster aid supplemental in the wake of the Hurricane,” Politico’s Olivia Beavers reported.
“He tells me the cost of damages has to be “tabulated” before a supplemental is considered and he argued they are a ways away from that. Congress will not convene for about five more weeks,” she added.
The report comes as Johnson is scheduled to visit North Carolina on Wednesday to survey the damage.
