WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) announced the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is awarding the State of North Carolina a supplemental grant of $52,878,000 under FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund to provide financial assistance to Americans who have lost wages due to the COVID-19 pandemic. FEMA’s grant will allow North Carolina to provide those unemployed due to COVID-19 an extra $300 per week on top of their regular unemployment benefits.

On August 8, 2020, President Trump made available up to $44 billion from FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund to provide financial assistance to Americans who have lost wages due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On August 21, 2020, North Carolina agreed to administer a lost wages program for its citizens who are unemployed due to COVID-19.

“My top priority is protecting the physical and economic health of North Carolinians, which is why I’ve worked across the aisle to deliver billions in assistance for our state, save jobs and small businesses, and provide funding for vaccine development,” said Senator Tillis. “We still have more work to do, which is why I have been pushing for bipartisan compromise on another relief package that would extend the unemployment benefits for those who have lost their job due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, Democratic leaders in Washington have put partisan politics ahead of the American people and are demanding a take it or leave it approach on their left-wing proposal while North Carolinians struggle to get by. President Trump was left with no choice but to find ways to provide relief to Americans who have fallen on hard times, and I applaud him for taking action to provide these resources and Governor Cooper for taking the steps necessary to have these funds flow to North Carolinians hurting most.”

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