WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation Wednesday to boost relief funding to help communities recover from major disasters across the country, including Hurricane Lane and the ongoing volcanic eruptions on Hawaii Island.
The $1.7 billion in Community Development Block Grant disaster recovery funding will help state and local governments rebuild impacted communities, especially in low- and moderate-income areas, and provide resources to help businesses recover.
The legislation is expected to pass the Senate. U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has begun working with federal agencies and state and county officials to ensure Hawaii puts forward a strong application to receive the maximum amount of eligible funding.
“There is a long road ahead to recovery for the state, which has been hit by historic flooding, hurricanes and volcanoes in a matter of a few months. These block grants will help, but they are not our sole chance at additional federal funding. So I want to be clear that this is a down payment,” Schatz said.
To date, Hawaii has received more than $120 million in federal relief funding, including $64 million for flooding on Kauai and Oahu and more than $56 million to help Hawaii Island recover from the Kilauea eruptions.
Reps. Tulsi Gabbard and Colleen Hanabusa on Wednesday voted to pass critical disaster relief and recovery funding for Hawaii, North Carolina and South Carolina.
In April, heavy rains fell on Kauai and O‘ahu, with nearly 50 inches falling in a 24-hour period, resulting in damage to more than 760 homes.
“The people of Hawaii have been hit especially hard by natural disasters this year — from major flooding and landslides on Kauai and Oahu in April, the volcanic eruptions on Hawaii Island, and the recent flooding and wildfires on multiple islands related to Tropical Storm Lane,” Gabbard said. “This funding is essential to communities like ours that have been challenged in so many ways, with very limited resources to help with relief, recovery and rebuilding.”
