Norton to Introduce Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill to Provide Humanitarian Assistance to Migrants Bused to D.C. and Other Cities

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today announced that she will introduce a bill to amend the recently enacted fiscal year 2023 continuing resolution (CR) to provide $50 million in emergency supplemental appropriations to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) for humanitarian assistance to migrants. Norton and colleagues sent a letter to the House Committee on Appropriations requesting that the CR provide this $50 million, but it was not included in the introduced version of the CR. Norton and colleagues then filed an amendment to the CR at the Committee on Rules to provide this $50 million, but the amendment was not made in order. The CR only provides funding for the EFSP at the fiscal year 2022 rate of operations.

"In a cynical political stunt, the governors of Texas and Arizona have bused thousands of migrants to D.C. and other cities in the last several months," Norton said. "We need to ensure that D.C. and other cities, as well as non-profit groups and volunteers, have the resources they need to assist the migrants."

EFSP funds can be used for food and shelter, among other necessities. Norton is also working to provide significantly more funding for the EFSP in any final fiscal year 2023 appropriations package.

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