Hurricane Helene severely impacted several US states, including Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina, killing more than 200 people to date, media reported.
US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warned on Wednesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) does not have enough funds to make it through the rest of the current hurricane season.
“Disgraceful does not describe what is taking place in these storm-torn areas of our country," Gosar said in a statement on Friday. "The federal response has been non-existent. By diverting billions of FEMA disaster funds to welcome and accommodate the illegals who continue to pour across our southern border, Border Czar Kamala Harris has turned her back on Americans in their greatest time of need."
Congressman Matt Gaetz in a letter to Mayorkas on Friday said that his office has been in contact with whistleblowers in numerous emergency-management functions at the federal, state, and local levels who warn about critical mismanagement issues in FEMA.
According to Gaetz, FEMA has wasted taxpayer funds, misappropriated funds, and left emergency responders without deployment orders on the ground in North Carolina. Gaetz also claims that FEMA withheld pre-disaster aid and that non-governmental organizations have used FEMA funds to purchase airline tickets for migrants.
The White House has rejected claims that FEMA disaster funds were used on migrants.
President Joe Biden has called on Congress to approve an emergency supplemental as soon as possible, but lawmakers won't reconvene for votes until November 12.
House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters that Congress is not expected to approve emergency funding for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts until after the US election.
Biden said he might have to ask Congress for additional relief funding before the end of his presidency in January because of the high financial costs he anticipates will soar as they assess the damage caused by the storm.