WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis announced $1.65 billion in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to help rebuild communities devastated by Hurricane Helene.  

This funding comes directly from the bipartisan $100 billion dollar disaster supplemental bill that Senator Tillis worked with Congressional leaders and appropriators to deliver. Senator Tillis also successfully secured a number of key provisions in the legislation, including mandates to deliver federal assistance to Western North Carolina.

“This initial grant for communities devastated by Hurricane Helene is a crucial step in the long journey toward recovery for Western North Carolina,” said Senator Tillis. “I am proud to have worked alongside my colleagues to bring this essential aid to those who need it most. These funds, part of the $100 billion disaster supplemental bill, will deliver critical relief to the hardest-hit areas as we continue our efforts to restore and rebuild Western North Carolina. It is imperative that Governor Stein and the General Assembly work to replace NCORR, a debacle of an agency that mismanaged billions of federal dollars for the Matthew and Florence recovery and has left thousands of North Carolinians without homes. We have to get this right.”

The $1.65 billion in CDBG-DR funds for most of WNC will be administered through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

Background:

Provisions secured by Senator Tillis in the $100 billion disaster supplemental include:

• Requiring the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to issue a Federal Register notice by January 15, 2025, of enactment for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery so funding can flow to North Carolina more quickly. Federal Register notices have often taken 12-24 months after previous authorizations.
• Replenishing funding for the SBA’s disaster loan program to help homeowners and small business owners rebuild, which Tillis has been pushing since funding expired. There are currently 2,338 applicants waiting for their application to be processed, totaling $172 million.

Senator Tillis has been pushing for federal assistance for Western North Carolina since the moment Helene made landfall.

On October 1, 2024, Senator Tillis led a bipartisan letter to Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Vice Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) on the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene and the urgent need to pass an appropriations package to support the millions of Americans affected by the storm. 

On October 16, 2024, Senator Tillis led a bipartisan group of senators in urging the White House to rapidly submit a government funding request to Congress that will fully cover costs associated with clean-up and recovery following Hurricanes Helene and Milton so that affected communities could begin to heal. The Senators called for Congress to return to Washington from the October in-state work period to approve federal disaster relief legislation. 

On October 23, 2024, The Hill published an op-ed by Senator Tillis addressed to members of Congress to step up and be proactive with long-term disaster recovery assistance.   

On October 29, 2024, Senator Tillis and his colleagues announced plans to introduce legislation that would replenish the Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Program with families and small businesses across WNC unable to get loans approved until then. The Senators outlined their plan to seek passage of the legislation when Congress returned to session. 

On November 14, 2024, Senator Tillis attempted to pass legislation to replenish the SBA Disaster Loan Program through a unanimous consent request on the Senate floor, but was blocked by another Senator. 

On November 15, 2024, Senator Tillis led a bipartisan letter to request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) immediately send a supplemental appropriation request to Congress to support the communities we represent, which were devastated after Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The OMB sent the request to Congress a few days later.

On November 18, 2024, Senator Tillis introduced the standalone RELIEF Act to provide Hurricane relief to small businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene. 

On November 20, 2024, Senator Tillis called on Congress to quickly pass Hurricane Helene relief during his testimony to the Senate Appropriations Committee.  

On November 21, 2024, Senator Tillis met with Governor Cooper, Governor-Elect Stein, members of the North Carolina Congressional Delegation and the North Carolina General Assembly, and local leaders from Western North Carolina to discuss efforts to provide federal assistance to North Carolinians affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.  

On December 5, 2024, Senator Tillis joined Fox News’ Your World with Neil Cavuto where he discussed the urgent need for Congress to provide federal assistance to North Carolinians affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.

On December 10, 2024, Senator Tillis hosted N.C. Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, N.C. House of Representatives Speaker-elect Destin Hall, State Senators Bill Rabon and Ralph Hise, and State Representative Dudley Greene to discuss efforts to provide immediate assistance to North Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene’s devastation.   

On December 18, 2024, Senator Tillis committed to filibustering any continuing resolution that did not include disaster aid for Western North Carolina.

On December 21, 2024 Tillis voted to pass a bipartisan government funding bill that includes more than $100 billion in disaster relief for states and communities hit by natural disasters, including North Carolina during Hurricane Helene.

In addition to Senator Tillis’ legislative efforts the Senator has met with local leaders, residents, and elected officials across Western North Carolina including in: Asheville, Black Mountain, Boone, Burnsville, Canton, Clyde, Fairview, Flat Rock, Hendersonville, Hot Springs, Marshall, Morganton, Spruce Pine, Swannanoa, Waynesville and Wilkesboro. 

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