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Biden pledges $1B in aid to Africa as North Carolina residents continue to struggle after Helene

3 December 2024 at 13:48

President Biden pledged $1 billion in humanitarian support to Africans displaced by historic droughts and food insecurity on Tuesday, as North Carolina residents continue to rebuild after the devastation left by Hurricane Helene.

"The United States continues to be the world's largest provider of humanitarian aid and development assistance. That's going to increase, you know, that's the right thing for the wealthiest nation in the world to do," Biden said while speaking in Angola. "Today I'm announcing over $1 billion in new humanitarian support for Africans displaced from homes by historic droughts and food insecurity. We know African leaders and citizens are seeking more than just aid. You seek investment.

"So, the United States is expanding our relationship all across Africa from assistance to aid, investment to trade, moving from patrons to partners to help bridge the infrastructure gap," he added.

Biden’s visit to Angola this week marks the first time the president has stepped foot on African soil during his presidency, and it comes as people in North Carolina continue to face challenges after Hurricane Helene caused destruction and devastation in late September.

BIDEN TRAVELS TO AFRICA WHERE POLICIES WERE β€˜OVER-PROMISED AND UNDER-DELIVERED,' AMID MASSIVE CHINA EXPANSION

Last month, the White House requested $98 billion in additional disaster relief funding to help efforts in Helene-ravished areas.

Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle have pledged to act swiftly once they get a formal request from the Biden administration.

On top of that, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told reporters last month that her agency "will need additional funding of approximately $40 billion beyond its 2025 budget request to support the ongoing recovery efforts to these storms and meet our overall mission requirements through the end of the fiscal year."Β 

HOUSE REPUBLICANS EYE FEMA FUND OVERHAUL AHEAD OF HIGH-STAKES HEARING ON HELENE RECOVERY

Still, until these funds are in place, some continue to slam Biden’s legacy of putting foreign countries before his own, which was seen Tuesday as a video of Biden making the $1 billion announcement in Africa made the rounds on social media.

"BREAKING: Joe Biden just announced a $1B aid package for AFRICAN nations that are rebuilding from natural disasters. What about North Carolina? This is DISGUSTING," one user on X wrote.

"This is by far the WORST President of all time," another said on X.

JOHNSON BLASTS DEM ACCUSATIONS HE VOWED TO END OBAMACARE AS 'DISHONEST'

Still, one more user asked, "Can anyone please explain why Joe Biden hates America so much?"

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter.

Helene ravaged part of the U.S. Southeast in late September, killing more than 100 people in North Carolina alone.

It’s estimated to have caused billions of dollars worth of damage as well.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., previously told Fox News Digital that he believed it could be one of the most expensive storms in U.S. history.Β 

Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.

FEMA must be 'completely revamped,' House Republican from hurricane-battered district tells agency chief

19 November 2024 at 14:30

Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., took aim at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), arguing that its recent response to multiple deadly storms shows the agency needs to be "completely revamped."

"The No. 1 thing that hurts FEMA’s reputation is the fact that so many citizens are denied when they apply the first time they come through the FEMA portal. And if they have to go through congressional offices to get help… if that is going to be the protocol for our citizens to get help, from the emergency management agency, then it needs to be completely revamped," Donalds said during a House Oversight Committee hearing on FEMA Tuesday.

Donalds' comments came during questioning of FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, who was peppered by Republican members of the Oversight Committee to provide answers on FEMA’s response to recent storms and accusations that the agency discriminated against supporters of President-elect Trump.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS EYE FEMA FUND OVERHAUL AHEAD OF HIGH-STAKES HEARING ON HELENE RECOVERY

FEMA has been under fire over the agency’s response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which earlier this year made landfall in the southeastern U.S. and caused widespread destruction across multiple states.

While the agency’s overall performance during the response to the two storms has been the center of controversy, members of the Oversight Committee repeatedly asked Criswell to answer to potential "systemic bias" against Trump supporters in its response.

The questions come after now-fired FEMA employee Marn'i Washington told relief workers to skip houses that had signs supporting Trump during the agency’s cleanup and recovery effort after Hurricane Milton, an incident Criswell insisted was isolated in multiple responses during the hearing.

FEMA OFFICIAL SAID TO AVOID HOMES WITH TRUMP SIGNS: β€˜TO SAY I WAS SURPRISED WOULD BE A LIE’

"There is nothing in any of our policies, our training, or our information sent out to field workers, to avoid any home for whatever reason, especially not because of a political affiliation," Criswell said in response to questioning from Donalds. "The actions of this one individual are not representative of the work that we do at FEMA."

But Donalds, whose district was hit hard by Milton, said he had "an issue" with the answer, pointing to a New York Post report that featured an anonymous FEMA employee who claimed that such discrimination on the basis of political affiliation is an "open secret" at FEMA.

Criswell argued that the incident in question was investigated by FEMA and that an investigation into if such issues are more widespread is still ongoing, prompting even more fierce pushback from Donalds.

"You told me at the beginning of this questioning that there is nothing in your policies that would dictate that this is to occur, yet you have one official who was fired, who said it does occur. You have another official under your purview… talking to the press, that it does occur, but you can’t verify to this committee that these practices do or do not occur," Donalds said.

FEMA did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

FEMA director vows to request IG investigation into order to avoid Trump supporters' houses

19 November 2024 at 09:10

FEMA Director Deanne Criswell vowed to request an inspector general investigation into orders that FEMA employees avoid homes of Trump supporters during relief efforts for Hurricane Milton.

Criswell made the commitment during her testimony before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Tuesday. Criswell has insisted that orders to avoid pro-Trump homes originated from a lone employee and were not part of a wider directive.

Subcommittee Chairman Scott Perry, R-Pa., asked Criswell whether FEMA's ongoing internal investigation included officials above Marn'i Washington, the employee confirmed to have issued the order.

"The investigation includes those that were deployed in this particular incident, and we have found no evidence that there is anything beyond this one employee's specific direction," Criswell said.

HOUSE OVERSIGHT CALLS ON FEMA DIRECTOR TO TESTIFY AFTER OFFICIAL TELLS WORKERS TO AVOID HOME WITH TRUMP SIGNS

"Why shouldn't this be an independent investigation by at least somebody like the [inspector general]?" Perry pressed.

"The actions that this employee took are unacceptable--," Criswell said before getting cut off.

"I know that, you know that," Perry interjected.

FEMA OFFICIAL SAID TO AVOID HOMES WITH TRUMP SIGNS: β€˜TO SAY I WAS SURPRISED WOULD BE A LIE’

"And I would welcome an investigation by the IG," Criswell said.

"But you haven't requested – will you request one?" Perry asked.

"I will request one," Criswell confirmed.

Criswell's claims contradict Washington, who asserts that she is being scapegoated by the agency for a wider policy of avoiding pro-Trump homes in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Washington emphasized to Fox News that FEMA prioritizes "avoidance" and "de-escalation" in situations where some employees may feel unsafe, and that is not necessarily politically targeted at Trump supporters. This could include other situations, like urban areas where there are unleashed dogs, she said.

Washington told Fox News' Trace Gallagher that discriminating against people explicitly because of political leanings would violate the Hatch Act, but said "unfortunately, again, the passionate supporters for Trump, some of them were a little bit violent."

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