Senate ·
Hurricane Helene
“Two years ago, Hurricane Helene killed 108 people in North Carolina and caused nearly $60 billion in damage. Federal aid has helped families and cleared debris, but recovery is still our top priority. We will keep working to make sure our communities get all the help they need to rebuild.”
“Mr. President, some storms pass. Others permanently change the communities they pass through. For the North Carolinians who lived through Hurricane Helene, September 27, 2024, is not simply a date in the past. It is a dividing line between life before the storm and everything that has come after. This week marks the second anniversary of Hurricane Helene. Only 2 years ago, this Category 4 storm grew to insurmountable levels in a matter of hours, dumping up to 30 inches of rain with winds up to 106 miles per hour. The result: Family homes that stood for generations were washed away, small businesses that had long served as pillars of their communities were shuttered, and roadways connecting towns and neighbors were torn apart. But most devastating of all was the loss of 108 lives across Western North Carolina. Like many North Carolinians across our State and many Americans across the country, I remember watching the storm carve its path through the Blue Ridge Mountains on the news that fateful Friday morning. As the storm picked up pace, I did everything I could to stay in constant contact with local municipal leaders on the ground to gather intel on the storm’s growing severity and better gauge the damage it would inevitably leave behind. But when phone lines suddenly dropped, we lost all communication with one-third of the State. And nothing could have prepared us for what would come after. Just days after the storm broke, I surveyed the wreckage from the air with North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. From above, the damage done was horrifying: Rivers rushed where roads once were, trees were collapsed onto buildings, cars were overturned, and homes were caught in mudslides. When it was finally safe to reach the ground, the destruction Helene left behind was overwhelming. I will never forget touring an elementary school classroom in Watauga County that has been flooded by several feet of water during the storm. Walking over the debris and remnants of what once was a place of learning, growth, and opportunity for young children was chilling. That visit made one thing abundantly clear: The road to recovery was about more than rebuilding what Helene destroyed. It was about restoring our communities. Overnight, Hurricane Helene left North Carolina with nearly $60 billion in damage and recovery costs, a price tag so large that it is hard to conceptualize. Now imagine that scale of destruction falling onto counties, small towns, and entities whose entire budgets are not measured in billions, but in millions, or less. In the immediate aftermath of Helene, local governments had no choice but to completely drain their cash reserves to clear debris, restore roads, repair water systems, and provide the basic infrastructure that their communities needed to survive. But Helene’s severe economic impact extends far beyond the communities directly hit by the storm because the 39 disaster- designated counties account for 45 percent of North Carolina’s GDP. That means western North Carolina’s recovery is not just a regional priority; it is essential to our State’s overall economic strength. That is why my No. 1 priority in Washington over the past 2 years has been unlocking Federal aid for western North Carolina’s recovery. Over the past 2 years, I have made nearly 50 visits to Helene- impacted communities, and my staff has made many more. My casework team has worked on over 500 cases related to Hurricane Helene recovery, with positive outcomes leading to over $66 million in awards. My policy team has worked diligently to ensure western North Carolina receives the Federal disaster funding it needs by securing its inclusion in Federal disaster re supplemental legislation and ensuring the Disaster Relief Fund has the resources needed to support a full recovery. I have also worked closely with Federal Agencies to clear backlogs and get recovery funds flowing so projects can get off the ground and outstanding bills can be paid. In the past 2 years, Federal Agencies have identified over $13 billion in Hurricane Helene-related awards, grants, infrastructure commitments, and Federal loan assistance for North Carolina, significantly advancing recovery efforts. Since September of 2024, FEMA has assisted over 161,000 households with nearly $567 million in direct assistance. North Carolina was also awarded a $1.4 billion Community Development Block Grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to support recovery efforts and address housing needs. Additionally, FEMA has removed roughly 15 million cubic yards of debris from rights-of-way and waterways, restoring access and helping communities move forward with rebuilding. In a region where tourism drives local economies, fully reopening the Blue Ridge Parkway by the end of the year is a major milestone on the road to recovery. By the end of 2026, the National Park Service will have repaired more than 55 landslides along the parkway’s 200-mile stretch through North Carolina. Although work will continue to repair visitor centers and historic and cultural landmarks in the coming years, the parkway’s complete reopening will undoubtedly allow western North Carolina to enter a new stage of much-needed economic recovery by welcoming tourists back to the mountains. When I think back to those first few days after Hurricane Helene, the devastation will forever be scared into my memory. But what stands out most is what emerged from that destruction: an extraordinary sense of unity. In every one of western North Carolina’s 39 impacted counties, neighbors were helping neighbors. And that level of unity, in the face of severe adversity, is something I am enormously proud of. I want to recognize and sincerely thank the faith-based and nonprofit organizations that were among the first to respond after Helene--and for their continued efforts in helping families across western North Carolina rebuild. To every family still grieving the loss of a loved one, know that you are not alone. We will never forget the lives Helene stole from us on September 27, 2024. Helene may have changed western North Carolina forever, but it will not define our future. That belongs to the resilient people who call the Blue Ridge Mountains home. As communities continue to rebuild, businesses reopen, and visitors return, western North Carolina will continue moving forward with the same strength and resilience that carried us through the storm--because, if the last 2 years have taught us anything, it is this: No storm is stronger than a community determined to rebuild together.”
Mr. President, some storms pass. Others permanently change the communities they pass through. For the North Carolinians who lived through Hurricane Helene, September 27, 2024, is not simply a date in the past. It is a dividing line between life before the storm and everything that has come after. This week marks the second anniversary of Hurricane Helene. Only 2 years ago, this Category 4 storm grew to insurmountable levels in a matter of hours, dumping up to 30 inches of rain with winds up to 106 miles per hour. The result: Family homes that stood for generations were washed away, small businesses that had long served as pillars of their communities were shuttered, and roadways connecting towns and neighbors were torn apart. But most devastating of all was the loss of 108 lives across Western North Carolina. Like many North Carolinians across our State and many Americans across the country, I remember watching the storm carve its path through the Blue Ridge Mountains on the news that fateful Friday morning. As the storm picked up pace, I did everything I could to stay in constant contact with local municipal leaders on the ground to gather intel on the storm’s growing severity and better gauge the damage it would inevitably leave behind. But when phone lines suddenly dropped, we lost all communication with one-third of the State. And nothing could have prepared us for what would come after. Just days after the storm broke, I surveyed the wreckage from the air with North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. From above, the damage done was horrifying: Rivers rushed where roads once were, trees were collapsed onto buildings, cars were overturned, and homes were caught in mudslides. When it was finally safe to reach the ground, the destruction Helene left behind was overwhelming. I will never forget touring an elementary school classroom in Watauga County that has been flooded by several feet of water during the storm. Walking over the debris and remnants of what once was a place of learning, growth, and opportunity for young children was chilling. That visit made one thing abundantly clear: The road to recovery was about more than rebuilding what Helene destroyed. It was about restoring our communities. Overnight, Hurricane Helene left North Carolina with nearly $60 billion in damage and recovery costs, a price tag so large that it is hard to conceptualize. Now imagine that scale of destruction falling onto counties, small towns, and entities whose entire budgets are not measured in billions, but in millions, or less. In the immediate aftermath of Helene, local governments had no choice but to completely drain their cash reserves to clear debris, restore roads, repair water systems, and provide the basic infrastructure that their communities needed to survive. But Helene’s severe economic impact extends far beyond the communities directly hit by the storm because the 39 disaster- designated counties account for 45 percent of North Carolina’s GDP. That means western North Carolina’s recovery is not just a regional priority; it is essential to our State’s overall economic strength. That is why my No. 1 priority in Washington over the past 2 years has been unlocking Federal aid for western North Carolina’s recovery. Over the past 2 years, I have made nearly 50 visits to Helene- impacted communities, and my staff has made many more. My casework team has worked on over 500 cases related to Hurricane Helene recovery, with positive outcomes leading to over $66 million in awards. My policy team has worked diligently to ensure western North Carolina receives the Federal disaster funding it needs by securing its inclusion in Federal disaster re supplemental legislation and ensuring the Disaster Relief Fund has the resources needed to support a full recovery. I have also worked closely with Federal Agencies to clear backlogs and get recovery funds flowing so projects can get off the ground and outstanding bills can be paid. In the past 2 years, Federal Agencies have identified over $13 billion in Hurricane Helene-related awards, grants, infrastructure commitments, and Federal loan assistance for North Carolina, significantly advancing recovery efforts. Since September of 2024, FEMA has assisted over 161,000 households with nearly $567 million in direct assistance. North Carolina was also awarded a $1.4 billion Community Development Block Grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to support recovery efforts and address housing needs. Additionally, FEMA has removed roughly 15 million cubic yards of debris from rights-of-way and waterways, restoring access and helping communities move forward with rebuilding. In a region where tourism drives local economies, fully reopening the Blue Ridge Parkway by the end of the year is a major milestone on the road to recovery. By the end of 2026, the National Park Service will have repaired more than 55 landslides along the parkway’s 200-mile stretch through North Carolina. Although work will continue to repair visitor centers and historic and cultural landmarks in the coming years, the parkway’s complete reopening will undoubtedly allow western North Carolina to enter a new stage of much-needed economic recovery by welcoming tourists back to the mountains. When I think back to those first few days after Hurricane Helene, the devastation will forever be scared into my memory. But what stands out most is what emerged from that destruction: an extraordinary sense of unity. In every one of western North Carolina’s 39 impacted counties, neighbors were helping neighbors. And that level of unity, in the face of severe adversity, is something I am enormously proud of. I want to recognize and sincerely thank the faith-based and nonprofit organizations that were among the first to respond after Helene--and for their continued efforts in helping families across western North Carolina rebuild. To every family still grieving the loss of a loved one, know that you are not alone. We will never forget the lives Helene stole from us on September 27, 2024. Helene may have changed western North Carolina forever, but it will not define our future. That belongs to the resilient people who call the Blue Ridge Mountains home. As communities continue to rebuild, businesses reopen, and visitors return, western North Carolina will continue moving forward with the same strength and resilience that carried us through the storm--because, if the last 2 years have taught us anything, it is this: No storm is stronger than a community determined to rebuild together.