CNN
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President Joe Biden is about to embark on one other journey to a group ravaged by a hurricane as he visits Florida on Sunday. During this go to, he'll disclose over half a billion {dollars} in initiatives aimed toward enhancing electric grid resilience, as the federal government's disaster-relief funds face rising strain due to extra expensive and frequent storms.
Biden's expedition to St. Petersburg to consider the aftermath of Hurricane Milton follows earlier journeys the president took earlier this month to the identical state, in addition to visits to Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina to survey areas devastated by Hurricane Helene.
This happens because the president and different officers have been urging Congress to approve extra funding for applications supporting catastrophe reduction and small companies. The hurricanes, coupled with different excessive climate occurrences this 12 months, are swiftly depleting the federal government's support assets.
The $612 million in funding Biden plans to announce, in mild of practically 1.5 million prospects grappling with energy blackouts, contains $94 million earmarked for particular initiatives in Florida, in accordance to a White House official. Of this quantity, $47 million is allotted to Gainesville Regional Utilities, with one other $47 million designated for Switched Source to collaborate with Florida Power and Light.
“These investments form part of the President's pledge to make enduring investments that safeguard, enhance, and modernize our country's electric grid, particularly in the face of extreme weather events,” the official remarked in a press release launched on Saturday.
The monetary assets will likely be distributed by the Department of Energy's Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships Program.
While visits by the president to catastrophe zones are usually bipartisan events demonstrating collaboration between federal and state governments past political divides, this impact is magnified now that Biden is not a candidate in the 2024 election.
Biden has continuously communicated with Republican leaders, together with the governors of Florida and Georgia, in addition to conservative members of Congress throughout the Southeastern areas impacted by the hurricanes. Mutual admiration is usually exchanged between these political figures on the state and native ranges.
The president has notably recommended the endeavors of state and native officers in discouraging their constituents from proliferating false rumors and misinformation. Leaders state that such actions have led to threats towards reduction employees on the bottom and dissuaded residents from looking for mandatory help.
“Conservative, hardcore” Republicans in affected areas, he declared on Friday, “are taking a stand and saying, ‘It must cease.'”
However, the show of bipartisanship has been slower to manifest in Vice President Kamala Harris, who has additionally been visiting catastrophe websites and interesting with state and native officers. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Harris traded accusations of politicizing the state of affairs after reviews surfaced that DeSantis ignored calls from Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate. In response, DeSantis highlighted his communication with Biden, emphasizing that Harris, as vice chairman, holds no authority in the federal authorities's response.
During his prior tour to Florida, the president met with Sen. Rick Scott, a steadfast conservative and shut affiliate of former President Donald Trump, who has usually served as a political antagonist to Biden. Despite their political variations, the 2 united to tour the storm-damaged territory of Keaton Beach.
Biden didn't have interaction in discussions with DeSantis throughout his Florida go to, because the governor opted to host a press briefing 4 hours away from the president's tour.
In response to a query on Friday relating to his plans to meet with DeSantis throughout his present go to, Biden commented, “If he's willing,” alluding to the governor's cooperativeness.
“We had a very positive interaction,” Biden remarked.
