Rubio proposes $33 billion recovery package after Hurricane Ian

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) on Wednesday proposed Congress appropriate $33 billion to aid his state’s recovery following Hurricane Ian.

The proposal includes $12 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers to repair damages and construct flood control measures, $10 billion to replenish the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) disaster relief fund and $5 billion in community block grants.

“The strength and resilience of Floridians are inspiring, but we have a long recovery ahead,” Rubio said in a statement. 

“Given the scale and scope of the disaster – by some measures the fifth strongest hurricane to ever hit the United States – the federal government has an important role to play in facilitating Florida’s recovery,” he continued. “I plan to make sure our state receives the emergency relief it needs to fully rebuild.” 

The Florida Republican previously expressed a desire for a federal relief bill in the wake of the Category 4 storm that made landfall near Cayo Costa, Fla. late last month, killing more than 100 people and causing damage expected to total billions of dollars.

But Rubio has faced criticism from some after voting against a federal relief bill following Hurricane Sandy, which hit places such as New York and New Jersey in 2012 and killed more than 100 Americans.

He has argued the bill included some spending unrelated to the hurricane’s damages. 

During an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” earlier this month, Rubio said he would support such a package for Hurricane Ian only if it contained no unrelated spending projects, known as “pork.”

“Unfortunately, they loaded it up — they really did — with a bunch of things that had nothing to do with Sandy,” Rubio told CNN. “But I voted for every disaster relief package, especially that’s clean, and I’ll continue to do so when it comes to Florida.”

Rubio and his fellow Florida Senator, Rick Scott (R), penned a letter following the storm indicating support for forming a federal relief package, although the two lawmakers did not specify an amount at the time.

In his latest request, Rubio said the $33 billion figure could continue to change as damage assessments progress.

His proposal includes $2 billion to cover agricultural losses, $200 million in relief for fisheries and a $150 million allocation for the Coast Guard to cover rescue costs and facility replacements in Fort Myers.

It also includes $940 million for clean water grants, $150 million in aid to local governments and $100 million to restore transportation access to Pine and Sanibel islands.