Florida's Republican members of Congress are requesting an emergency supplemental appropriations package in response to the catastrophic damage caused by Hurricane Ian.

Last week, none of Florida's GOP members voted for a bill to fund the government through mid-December, which contained $18 billion for FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund. 

What You Need To Know

  • Florida's Republican members of Congress are requesting an emergency supplemental appropriations package in response to the catastrophic damage caused by Hurricane Ian

  • Last week, none of Florida's GOP members voted for a bill to fund the government through mid-December, which contained $18 billion for FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund

  • Republicans argued the bill did not fund the government into the new year when the next Congress takes over and that the Disaster Relief Fund dollars were not specifically earmarked for Hurricane Ian's recovery

  • FEMA's administrator Deanne Criswell on Wednesday said that Ian's recovery cost "is going to be in the billions"

Twelve Florida House Republicans have signed onto a letter asking the House Appropriations Committee for an aid package specific to Hurricane Ian. Although damage assessments are continuing, early estimates have determined that it will cost tens of billions of dollars to rebuild from the catastrophic storm.

"The letter I'm signing onto ... is asking for a supplemental package focused on the damage caused by Hurricane Ian and for all of the states involved, and for that to happen before the end of the year," Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., said. 

Last week, Florida Democrats, including Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Val Demings, slammed Republicans for not voting for a short-term government funding bill that included billions of dollars for FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund.

That money would have gone toward the response to Hurricane Ian and other disasters. Republicans argued the bill did not fund the government into the new year when the next Congress takes over and that the disaster relief fund dollars were not specifically earmarked for Hurricane Ian's recovery. 

"I have voted against these continuing resolutions as a matter of principle since I've been in Congress. It's a terrible way to run the government," Waltz said. 

Republican Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott have also sent a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee asking for an emergency supplemental appropriations package. 

Scott said the Senate should "immediately reconvene and vote on a Hurricane Ian supplemental aid package once FEMA and local and state officials determine the funding need."

Neither the House nor the Senate letter requested a specific amount of funding. On Wednesday, FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell said that Ian's cost to the U.S. government will be in the "billions."

"It's still too early to tell what the final cost of the disaster will be," Melissa Forbes, the assistant administrator at FEMA’s Response and Recovery Office said in an interview with Spectrum News. "We do have a disaster relief fund that FEMA has as our appropriation, but if Congress decides we need additional money, you know, that will be provided." 

Chairman of the Senate appropriations committee, Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, received the letter from Rubio and Scott who say they are "ready to work with his colleagues and community leaders to respond to this disaster with what is needed."

Spectrum News has reached out to the House Appropriations Committee for comment.