Pittenger tours Robeson County, talks hurricane relief
LUMBERTON, North Carolina (WTVD) -- Robeson County Sheriff Kenneth Sealey took Congressman Robert Pittenger (NC-09) on a tour Monday of communities still recovering from Hurricane Matthew. Pittenger also met with Lumberton City Manager Wayne Horne as part of his continuing effort to respond to local needs and share firsthand updates with Washington.
"As your Congressman, I am actively engaged in securing additional funding and assistance to help those in need," Pittenger said. "The process requires significant data before federal funds can be allocated, and I am committed to seeing it all the way through to assist hurting families."
Pittenger also provided updates on federal disaster relief funding not included in Governor Roy Cooper's recent letter:
- The federal government has provided more than $1 billion in disaster relief funding for North Carolina
- $334 million which Congressman Pittenger helped secure through Congressional appropriations
- More than $750 million which didn't require Congressional authorization
- Governor Cooper's claim of only $6.1 million in new funding is based on an estimate and is not the final amount. FEMA will soon send updated data to HUD, and Congressman Pittenger is working help facilitate this process and ensure the most accurate data is used to determine current needs.
- $193 million of disaster relief funding previously appropriated for North Carolina remains "in process" and is on track to be finalized.
"North Carolina has already received over $1 billion in federal disaster assistance. Do we need more? Absolutely. We saw that first-hand today," Pittenger said. "That's why my staff met this morning with House Appropriations and spoke with FEMA, and why we have a meeting with HUD on Thursday, and why I'll be discussing today's tour with Appropriations Chairman Frelinghuysen.
"We've been working on this since I-95 was still underwater, and while we've made progress, we recognize significant needs remain," Pittenger added. "If you have questions about the process or need help navigating red tape, please call my office. We are here to serve."
