The US president extends the disaster declaration issued to offer an additional month of aid and parks rivalries with Republican Governor Ron DeSantis with his visit
The US president, Joe Biden, put aside political rivalries with the Republican Party on Wednesday, and especially with the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, to witness with him the devastation caused by hurricane ‘Ian’ and exhibit an image of unity before the affected population. Accompanied by the first lady, Jill Biden, the head of the White House has set course from Washington to Fort Myers, the town in the southwest of the State considered the epicenter of the catastrophe, and in which the meteor made landfall last Wednesday.
‘Ian’, the most destructive and deadly hurricane in the history of Florida, has so far left 76 dead, according to the official balance, although the media put the number of deaths at more than a hundred. Meanwhile, rescue teams continue to search tirelessly for survivors in neighborhoods submerged by water while hundreds of thousands of residents of the state were still without electricity on Wednesday.
To address the needs of Florida more broadly, Biden decided – before heading to Fort Myers – to extend the disaster declaration issued. This will make it possible to offer one more month of additional assistance paid for entirely by the federal government with respect to the previous decree of the president, which authorized the release of this aid for a period of only 30 days. The money will be used for debris removal, temporary shelter for victims, home repairs, as well as loans to cover real estate and other property losses.
helicopter tour
The head of the White House plans to tour the area by helicopter this morning before meeting with local politicians and residents. He also intends to deliver a speech in the presence of DeSantis, a rising star of the Republican Party who is emerging as a candidate for the presidency in 2024 and a great critic of the Democratic president.
“They will talk about what it takes in Florida to get to a reconstruction phase,” said White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre. “There will be plenty of opportunities to discuss the differences. Now we are working as one », she insisted.
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