Nashville Standard

House Republicans are seeking more information from federal and state authorities regarding the response to Hurricane Helene. This request was made through letters sent by House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN), Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability Chairman Dan Bishop (R-NC), and Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology Chairman Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY). The letters were addressed to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper.

The committee's oversight focuses on the coordination between the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, and the State of North Carolina in responding to Hurricane Helene. "The Committee seeks to better understand the use of military assets, the execution of Title 10 authorities, and how these efforts were coordinated in North Carolina," according to a letter addressed to Secretary Mayorkas.

A similar sentiment was expressed in the letter to Secretary Austin: "The Committee seeks to better understand the use of military assets...in North Carolina."

Governor Cooper's actions during Hurricane Helene were also scrutinized. The Chairmen noted that he requested an Emergency Declaration under the Stafford Act before President Biden approved it. This approval enabled reimbursement for disaster-related costs incurred by deploying National Guard resources.

The Chairmen highlighted significant mobilization efforts: “You deployed an additional 378 National Guardsmen by September 28.” They also noted that federal personnel numbers increased significantly during this period.

These letters require document production by December 24, 2024. Additionally, ongoing oversight includes investigating allegations related to FEMA’s conduct following Hurricane Milton.