Blue Ridge Public Radio: “Cooper asked why Whatley, a member of President Trump’s FEMA Review Council, hasn’t done more on the issue.”
RALEIGH — Last Friday, as Roy Cooper continued his “Make Stuff Cost Less” tour in Asheville and as Congress considers an $88 billion supplemental funding bill without any money for western North Carolina’s recovery, Cooper called for “desperately needed” federal funding and called out Michael Whatley, who was put in charge of the federal response, for failing to secure necessary Hurricane Helene federal aid and refusing to speak up about it.
This comes as other North Carolina Republicans are speaking up against the lack of Helene aid: “Cooper praised Republican Sen. Ted Budd, who on Thursday vowed to oppose any supplemental funding bill that doesn’t include Helene recovery money.”
Blue Ridge Public Radio: Cooper says Whatley ‘has not convinced this administration’ that WNC needs more Helene aid
Felicia Sonmez
- Cooper addressed the issue Friday during a campaign stop at the Buncombe County Democratic Party headquarters in Asheville, arguing that the region “desperately needs more federal funding.”
- Hurricane Helene funding was noticeably absent from a recent supplemental spending request to Congress in which the White House asked for nearly $88 billion to pay for the Iran war, aid for farmers and a host of other priorities.
- Cooper asked why Whatley, a member of President Trump’s FEMA Review Council, hasn’t done more on the issue.
- “To have a supplemental appropriations bill proposed by this administration with zero money for Hurricane Helene? That’s awful,” Cooper told reporters. “And I’m concerned that the western North Carolina federal recovery czar, Michael Whatley, who was appointed by this president, is not saying anything about it, has not convinced this administration that Helene recovery needs to be in it.”
- In his remarks to reporters in Asheville on Friday, Cooper praised Republican Sen. Ted Budd, who on Thursday vowed to oppose any supplemental funding bill that doesn’t include Helene recovery money.
- Federal aid so far has covered only about 15% of the estimated $60 billion in damage caused by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina.
Since being appointed Western North Carolina’s federal “recovery czar,” Whatley has failed time and again to deliver for North Carolinians:
- Smoky Mountain News: Helene victims still waiting for Whatley
- WYFF: More than 100 WNC residents request to remove Michael Whatley from FEMA Review Council
- WLOS: ‘Our needs are urgent’: WNC residents say Michael Whatley isn’t helping after Helene
- Smoky Mountain News: Whatley claims on Helene aid collapse under scrutiny
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