Congressman Jared Moskowitz introduced legislation Tuesday seeking $15 billion in supplemental funding for FEMA and HUD to aid recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene, warning that delays could hinder assistance as FEMA faces a $2 billion deficit.

Florida Congressman Jared Moskowitz introduced legislation Tuesday to provide $15 billion in supplemental funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to aid recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

The move comes as FEMA faces a nearly $2 billion deficit, impacting its ability to respond to the widespread devastation caused by the storm across the Southeast, particularly in North Carolina.

Moskowitz, a Democrat and former Florida emergency management director, urged Congress to act swiftly on the funding measure, warning that delays could slow recovery efforts for communities still grappling with the storm’s effects. He criticized lawmakers for not addressing FEMA’s funding needs before going into recess, calling for bipartisan cooperation to pass the supplemental spending bill.

“The devastation we are seeing across the Southeast is simply unprecedented,” Moskowitz said in a statement “Congress should have dealt with this funding shortfall before we went on recess, but now we must act swiftly to pass this supplemental.”

FEMA has been operating in “immediate needs” mode for several weeks, resulting in delays in disaster payments and future disaster planning. The agency, tasked with coordinating the federal response to natural disasters, relies heavily on its Disaster Relief Fund, which has been depleted by a series of recent events.

“While the administration is utilizing every tool at its disposal to help those impacted by Hurricane Helene, it’s up to Congress to make sure that FEMA and HUD get the funds they need,” the Congressman continued.

Moskowitz further noted the nonpartisan nature of disaster response, urging lawmakers to “put aside political differences” to address the funding crisis.

“Emergency management can’t be a partisan issue – hurricanes don’t just hit Republican areas or Democratic areas,” he said. “We have to come together to show the American people that government still works.”

President Joe Biden is contemporaneously considering requesting an emergency spending package to support Hurricane Helene recovery efforts, which could require Congress to cut short its October recess, suggesting that he may convene lawmakers, though he subsequently stated that “no decision has been made.”