As Hurricane Helene careened toward Florida’s Panhandle, numerous Republicans voted against extending funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Last week, Congress approved $20 billion for FEMA’s disaster relief fund as part of a stopgap spending bill to fund the government through December 20. But the measure left out billions of dollars in requested supplemental disaster funding.
The Senate approved the measure by a 78-18 vote on September 25 after it passed the House in a 341-82 vote. Republicans supplied the no votes in both chambers.
Some of the Republicans who voted against the bill represent states that have been hard hit by Helene, including Florida Representative Matt Gaetz.
An aerial view of damaged houses are seen after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Horseshoe Beach, Florida, on September 28, 2024. Dozens of Republicans voted against a bill to continue funding FEMA before Hurricane Helene hit.
Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images
Helene hit Florida as a Category 4 storm last Thursday, before plowing through several other states in the Southeast. The devastation could cost up to $160 billion, according to an estimate by AccuWeather.
Some Republicans railed against FEMA funding being allocated for assisting migrants after Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters on Wednesday that FEMA will run out of money before the hurricane season is over. The agency is facing a multibillion-dollar deficit, even after imposing new spending restrictions.
“We are meeting the immediate needs with the money that we have. We are expecting another hurricane hitting,” Mayorkas said. “FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season.”
Mayorkas’ comments led some Republicans to accuse the Biden administration of diverting funds intended for disaster relief, which a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Newsweek was “completely false.”
President Joe Biden said Monday he may call Congress back into session during a break to pass emergency supplemental funding, as some lawmakers from states hit by Helene have urged.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has said that the FEMA funding included in the stopgap spending bill approved last week is sufficient and that there is no need for lawmakers to return early.
Below are all the GOP lawmakers that voted against that bill:
House
Representative James Baird of Indiana
Representative Troy Balderson of Ohio
Representative Jim Banks of Indiana
Representative Aaron Bean of Florida
Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona
Representative Gus Bilirakis of Florida
Representative Dan Bishop of North Carolina
Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado
Representative Mike Bost of Illinois
Representative Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma
Representative Tim Burchett of Tennessee
Representative Eric Burlison of Missouri
Representative Kat Cammack of Florida
Representative Michael Cloud of Texas
Representative Andrew Clyde of Georgia
Representative Mike Collins of Georgia
Representative Eli Crane of Arizona
Representative John Curtis of Utah
Representative Warren Davidson of Ohio
Representative Byron Donalds of Florida
Representative Jeff Duncan of South Carolina
Representative Ron Estes of Kansas
Representative Mike Ezell of Mississippi
Representative Randy Feenstra of Iowa
Representative Brad Finstad of Minnesota
Representative Michelle Fischbach of Minnesota
Representative Russell Fry of South Carolina
Representative Russ Fulcher of Idaho
Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida
Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas
Representative Bob Good of Virginia
Representative Lance Gooden of Texas
Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia
Representative Morgan Griffith of Virginia
Representative Michael Guest of Mississippi
Representative Harriet Hageman of Wyoming
Representative Andy Harris of Maryland
Representative Clay Higgins of Louisiana
Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio
Representative John Joyce of Pennsylvania
Representative Trent Kelly of Mississippi
Representative Darin LaHood of Illinois
Representative Laurel Lee of Florida
Representative Debbie Lesko of Arizona
Representative Greg Lopez of Colorado
Representative Anna Paulina Luna of Florida
Representative Morgan Lutrell of Texas
Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina
Representative Tracey Mann of Kansas
Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky
Representative Tom McClintock of California
Representative Rich McCormick of Georgia
Representative Mary Miller of Illinois
Representative Max Miller of Ohio
Representative Cory Mills of Florida
Representative Alex Mooney of West Virginia
Representative Barry Moore of Alabama
Representative Nathaniel Moran of Texas
Representative Ralph Norman of South Carolina
Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee
Representative Gary Palmer of Alabama
Representative Scott Perry of Pennsylvania
Representative Bill Posey of Florida
Representative John Rose of Tennessee
Representative Matt Rosendale of Montana
Representative Chip Roy of Texas
Representative David Schweikert of Arizona
Representative Keith Self of Texas
Representative Victoria Spartz of Indiana
Representative Claudia Tenney of New York
Representative William Timmons of South Carolina
Representative Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey
Representative Beth Van Duyne of Texas
Representative Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin
Representative Mike Waltz of Florida
Representative Randy Weber of Texas
Representative Daniel Webster of Florida
Representative Bruce Westerman of Arkansas
Representative Roger Williams of Texas
Representative. Rudy Yakym of Indiana
Senate
Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee
Senator Mike Braun of Indiana
Senator Katie Britt of Alabama
Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina
Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho
Senator Deb Fischer of Nebraska
Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee
Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri
Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin
Senator Mike Lee of Utah
Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas
Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma
Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky
Senator Pete Ricketts of Nebraska
Senator James Risch of Idaho
Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri
Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina
Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama
