At least 29 people died as a result of the raging fires in Southern California last month, with over 16,000 structures destroyed. The letter, obtained by CNN affiliate KCRA, was addressed to House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Reps. Tom Cole and Rosa DeLauro, the chair and ranking member, respectively, of the House Appropriations Committee.
The aid would go toward “immediate and long-term recovery work needed to rebuild lives and properties,” according to the letter. The request includes $16.8 billion in public assistance funding, $9.9 billion for house and business repairs, $9.61 billion in business loans and grants, and $2 billion in low-income housing tax credits.
“The impacted communities have experienced widespread devastation and the total impact on California’s economy will take years to fully quantify,” Newsom said in the letter.
Last month, Newsom signed legislation issuing a $2.5 billion relief package to California, though he said in a news conference that he expects the federal government to reimburse the state.
Before leaving office in January, former President Joe Biden said the federal government would cover 100% of costs for the first 180 days of recovery. But since taking office, President Donald Trump – along with some Republican members of Congress, including Johnson – have suggested that aid to California could be conditioned on the state altering its environmental management policies.
Newsom visited Washington, DC, earlier this month to meet with Trump and members of Congress regarding aid for the state’s recovery efforts.
“Los Angeles is one of the most economically productive places on the globe, but it can only rebound and flourish with support from the federal government as it recovers from this unprecedented disaster,” the letter added.
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