NC congressman Tim Moore works to keep FEMA open during government shutdown

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WNCN) — With the federal government shutdown, disaster funding could be impacted or halted altogether, but North Carolina congressman Tim Moore wants to prevent that.

“This debate over keeping the government open is not just an academic debate,” he said in a floor speech on Capitol Hill hours before the shutdown.

Moore introduced a bill this week ahead of the official shutdown that authorizes FEMA to temporarily continue essential duties, including funding disaster recovery.

“I want my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to hear this very loudly and clearly,” he said. “If the government is shut down, those relief efforts, which are vital to my state, vital to other states, including California, that are dealing with cleaning up from disasters, will stop.”

One year after Helene caused $60 billion in damages in western North Carolina, the state is still asking for billions of dollars in recovery aid from FEMA. Most recently, Gov. Josh Stein asked the federal government for an additional $13.5 billion in help.

In his floor speech on Capitol Hill, Moore said lawmakers could debate the rest of their own government funding bill separately, but urged them to at least make sure this aid comes through.

“This is important, we owe it to the people of my district, of my state, and frankly to everyone in this nation,” he said.

The bill, which was just introduced this week, hasn’t been referred to committee yet.