South OC Times

U.S. Representative Young Kim, representing California's 40th district, has spearheaded a bipartisan effort urging congressional leaders to ensure full disaster relief funding in the Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations. The letter, addressed to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, highlights the need for comprehensive funding to tackle natural disasters across the country.

Joining Rep. Kim in this initiative are fellow Orange County Representatives Michelle Steel (CA-45), Lou Correa (CA-46), Mike Levin (CA-49), and Katie Porter (CA-47). They emphasize that while $20 billion has been allocated to the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) in a continuing resolution, additional funds are required due to accumulated costs that need reimbursement before addressing ongoing natural disasters.

The delegation pointed out several areas requiring attention, including staffing shortages at the Cleveland National Forest during peak wildfire season and lack of funding for programs such as the Small Business Administration’s disaster loans and HUD’s community development block disaster recovery grant program.

In their appeal, they stated: “While we applaud the inclusion of $20 billion towards the [Disaster Relief Fund] in the continuing resolution, more funding is necessary for both the DRF and FEMA given the accumulation of backlogged costs.”

California has experienced significant wildfire activity over the past year, with CalFire reporting 6,332 wildfires burning nearly one million acres. The Airport Fire alone has scorched over 23,500 acres in Orange and Riverside Counties recently. These events have strained available resources and increased calls for federal assistance.

Federal support through FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund provides essential aid for disaster response efforts. Programs like Fire Management Assistance Grants help share fire mitigation costs between federal and local governments. The Airport Fire was among those receiving FMAGs this year.

The representatives stress that "disaster relief funding plays an essential role in supplying federal resources to areas impacted by natural disasters," urging Congress to prioritize this issue during FY 2025 appropriations negotiations.