Governor Stein Advocates for Western North Carolina’s Recovery in Washington, D.C.

Today Governor Josh Stein and local officials from Buncombe, Ashe, Haywood, Madison, and Rutherford counties traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with the Trump administration and members of Congress about North Carolina’s request for $13.5 billion in new funding for Hurricane Helene recovery. The Governor met with Representatives Don Davis, Deborah Ross, Greg Murphy, Valerie Foushee, Virginia Foxx, Addison McDowell, Richard Hudson, Pat Harrigan, Chuck Edwards, Alma Adams, and Tim Moore, Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd, and Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought to advocate for critical investments in western North Carolina. 

“It’s been nearly a year since Hurricane Helene, and while we are grateful for every dollar of federal support we have received, we need more,” said Governor Josh Stein. “I was pleased to meet with the Trump administration and members of our Congressional delegation to advocate for an additional $13.5 billion to strengthen western North Carolina’s recovery, getting folks back in their homes, boosting small businesses, supporting local governments, and repairing critical infrastructure.”

Governor Stein’s proposal calls on Congress to pass new appropriations to support Helene recovery, including:

• $8 billion for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding to rebuild homes, small businesses, and critical infrastructure.
• $400 million for the Small Business Administration in forgivable small business loans to help them get their revenue back on track.
• Nearly $1.6 billion for the U.S. Department of Transportation to restore roads and critical infrastructure, including I-40, which has seen temporary repairs.
• Nearly $2 billion to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, primarily for Special Community Disaster Loans, which help local governments finance police and fire protection, revenue collection, hazard insurance, trash collection, and public facilities maintenance.

Governor Stein is also calling on federal agencies to allocate funding to North Carolina that was previously appropriated by Congress in the American Relief Act of 2025. The Governor’s full request, including the new $13.5 billion requested of Congress and outstanding allocations by federal agencies, totals nearly $23 billion.

North Carolina leaders have expressed appreciation for every dollar directed toward recovery, but current federal financial support falls short. In total, federal support to date amounts to approximately 9% of the total damage western North Carolina suffered. Meanwhile, storms that were similarly devastating – such as Hurricanes Katrina, Maria, and Sandy – saw more than 70% of the cost of recovery efforts covered by federal funding. Governor Stein’s $23 billion request would bring the federal support North Carolina received to 47%.  

Click here to read Governor Stein’s full budget request.