by WorldTribune Staff, July 12, 2024 Contract With Our Readers
White House documentation shows that the Biden team ended the Major Disaster Declaration required for Texas to receive FEMA aid due to hurricane Beryl the same day it was granted, Texas Acting Gov. Dan Patrick said.
The declaration is required before the federal government grants FEMA aid to assist in covering costs incurred by the state following a natural disaster. According to FEMA, Texas has been given access to federal assistance to help pay for hurricane damages between July 5-9, the Texas Scorecard reported on Thursday.
Because the declaration ended July 9, Texas will not be reimbursed for any expenses incurred after that date.
“He [Joe Biden] pulled the rug out from under the people of Texas and lied to them,” Patrick posted Thursday on X.
Patrick assumed the role of acting governor during the Beryl emergency as Gov. Greg Abbott was traveling in Asia on a trade mission.
Abbott, who has since returned, disputed the White House’s insistence that it tried to contact him but was not successful.
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“I’ve been trying to track down the governor to see — I don’t have any authority to do that without a specific request from the governor,” Biden told the Houston Chronicle on Tuesday.
Abbott, in an interview from Japan on Wednesday with Austin television station KTBC, said Biden has reached him multiple times on the same number following previous disasters in Texas but this time never called that phone during Beryl.
“I know for an absolute 100% certainty, the only person to drop the ball is Joe Biden by making up some bizarre lie,” Abbott told the station. “And why he would do that? I have no idea.”
The White House disaster declaration also approved federal funding to cover expenses in 67 counties. According to Patrick, Team Biden broke its promise to administer aid to 121 counties.
“The bottom line is this: President Biden lied about reaching out to me from day one, our declaration request, and the aid he said he would give Texas,” said Patrick. “Biden is the first president in history to weaponize FEMA as a political tool, which is completely unacceptable and unethical and undermines the relationship states have with FEMA.”
The Texas Scorecard noted that Patrick has vowed to submit a request for individual assistance for 15 other eligible counties. That number will reportedly grow as further damage assessments are conducted.
The 67 counties currently eligible for debris removal and emergency work funding are Anderson, Angelina, Aransas, Austin, Bowie, Brazoria, Brazos, Burleson, Calhoun, Cameron, Camp, Cass, Chambers, Cherokee, Colorado, Dewitt, Fayette, Fort Bend, Freestone, Galveston, Goliad, Gregg, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Hidalgo, Houston, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Kenedy, Kleberg, Lavaca, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Marion, Matagorda, Milam, Montgomery, Morris, Nacogdoches, Newton, Nueces, Orange, Panola, Polk, Refugio, Robertson, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Shelby, Trinity, Tyler, Upshur, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Washington, Webb, Wharton, and Willacy.
Texas officials: Team Biden ended disaster declaration for Beryl same day it was issued added by Editor Two on
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