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Norton Introduces Emergency Appropriations Bill to Provide Humanitarian Assistance to Migrants Arriving in D.C.

August 23, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced an emergency appropriations bill for the current fiscal year (2022) to provide an additional $50 million for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP). The funding is designated for humanitarian assistance to migrants, including those being bused into the District of Columbia by Texas and Arizona.

"The governors of Texas and Arizona are exploiting and harming desperate and vulnerable people fleeing dangerous situations in their home countries for political gain," Norton said. "I commend the work organizations in D.C. and the National Capital Region have done to assist these migrants, but more funding is needed to assist these families."

EFSP funds can used for food and shelter, among other necessities.

Norton's introductory statement follows.

 

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of Bill to Provide Supplemental Appropriations for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program to Provide Humanitarian Relief for Migrants

August 16, 2022

 

Ms. Norton. Madam Speaker.

Today, I rise to introduce a fiscal year 2022 supplemental appropriations bill to provide $50 million to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) for humanitarian assistance for migrants. The funding would remain available until expended.

Since mid-April, the governors of Texas and Arizona have exploited and harmed approximately 4,500 vulnerable people fleeing desperate and dangerous situations in their home countries for political gain by busing them to the District of Columbia and New York.

In fiscal year 2022, Congress provided $150 million to the EFSP for humanitarian assistance for migrants. As of July 21, 2022, approximately $85 million of this funding remained available. However, the busing of migrants to D.C. and New York has increased funding requests and the EFSP may exhaust its funding.

Supplemental funding would ensure that the EFSP can continue to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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