October 4

This week in MORE POWER:

Federal Relief Explained
Hurricane Helene Response
Preparedness Gaps
Relief through Tax Breaks
Getting Aggressive on Forecasts

Congress is on recess, so in the wake of Hurricane Helene recovery efforts, we’re bringing you a special edition of MORE POWER on federal disaster relief.

Federal Relief Explained

In the U.S., disaster relief after events like hurricanes involves close coordination between local, state, and the federal government. The local and state government manages initial response efforts like evacuations and emergency services. If the disaster overwhelms state resources, the governor can request federal assistance. Once the President issues a federal disaster declaration, agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provide financial aid, technical support, and resources to help the state respond and recover. Congress can provide additional funding for disaster relief, pass legislation to support recovery efforts, and conduct oversight to ensure an effective federal response.

Hurricane Helene Response

Hurricane Helene struck land last week, tearing through Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee, leaving personal property, public infrastructure, and lives destroyed in its wake. The federal government is working with state and local governments to coordinate disaster relief for those affected; CNN reports that FEMA has deployed 3,500 personnel to affected areas. Though Congress is currently on recess, Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) has already introduced legislation that will likely allocate additional federal funding to help rebuild infrastructure destroyed by Hurricane Helene.

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Preparedness Gaps

Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) introduced the bipartisan Fixing Gaps in Hurricane Preparedness Act last year, which aims to address and improve how different groups of people, including vulnerable populations, respond to hurricanes. This is because vulnerable communities are additionally susceptible to more negative outcomes from hurricanes. This bill would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to both conduct research on and develop ways to improve how the public receives, interprets, and responds to hurricane warnings. Additionally, NOAA would also assess the economic value of extending hurricane warning times. This bill is currently in the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, which needs to pass it before the entire House can vote on it.

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Relief through Tax Breaks

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) introduced the Hurricane Tax Relief Act, which would amend the U.S. tax code to provide special tax relief for individuals who suffered personal property losses due to 2022 Hurricanes Ian, Nicole, and Fiona. It would allow people in disaster areas to claim these losses on their taxes.This bill would also ensure that residents of Puerto Rico receive equivalent tax benefits. Currently, it is in the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance; this committee must pass the bill before the entire Senate can vote on it.

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Getting Aggressive on Forecasts

The House passed a bill to reauthorize existing weather research legislation and further enhance forecasting capabilities by modernizing programs for severe weather events, like hurricanes and tornadoes, through advanced technologies such as drones and satellites. The Weather Act Reauthorization Act seeks to ensure that NOAA’s efforts to improve and expand severe weather forecasting— such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and tsunamis — continue and grow, with the goal of providing Americans with the most accurate forecasts as quickly as possible.

If enacted, the bill would require NOAA to upgrade its communication systems for severe weather using newer technology, such as cloud services, and improve outreach to rural areas. It would also direct NOAA to enhance weather forecasting for farmers and water managers, with new programs to improve rainfall predictions and track soil moisture levels. The House passed this bill in April of 2024, and it’s now with the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

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