Two Republican senators urge the Biden administration to appoint military leaders to lead recovery efforts from Hurricane Helen, as some continue to criticize the federal response to the disaster. I am asking you to do so.
Republican Sens. Thom Tillis and Ted Budd, both of North Carolina, released a joint statement on response operations Friday night.
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Homes damaged by Hurricane Helen are seen in Chimney Rock Village, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
“The National Guard and local, state, and federal first responders are working tirelessly to respond to this disaster with all the resources they have,” the statement said. “Given the unprecedented scale and complexity of search and rescue operations, it would be beneficial to appoint an active-duty military leader with extensive experience in operations of this scale to lead going forward.”
The Biden administration has been criticized for its inadequate response to the devastation Helen left behind. As of Friday, the death toll in the southeastern states hardest hit by the storm was more than 224, with more than 100 deaths in western North Carolina alone.
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President Biden and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper greet first responders at the Greenville, South Carolina, airport on Wednesday after touring areas affected by Hurricane Helen. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
of white house Biden said he was coordinating the federal response, including authorizing a state of emergency and sending 1,000 active-duty troops to assist with search and rescue efforts. More than 4,800 employees from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other agencies are being deployed to North Carolina and neighboring states affected by Helen.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell was on the ground in North Carolina on Friday and said the military was delivering food and water to residents from distribution centers.
Debris is strewn across the lake Wednesday in Lake Lure, North Carolina, as a result of Hurricane Helen. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Additionally, the White House said FEMA shipped more than 8.5 million meals, more than 7 million liters of water, 150 generators and more than 220,000 tarps to support response efforts.
As of Friday, the federal government had provided more than $45 million in individual assistance to survivors. affected by the stormWhite House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said this includes one-time payments of $750 from FEMA to eligible applicants in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. He said that it would be possible.
President Biden arrives at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in Greer, South Carolina, and meets with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
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Fox News Digital has reached out to FEMA and the White House.
Fox News Digital’s Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
