President Joe Biden has approved the federal disaster declaration for the state of Georgia as it continues to recover from the impact of Hurricane Helene. This decision comes after Biden previously approved major disaster declarations for Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina to assist with the destruction caused by the hurricane.
As part of the ongoing efforts to support the affected regions, Biden will be visiting Raleigh, North Carolina, while Vice President Harris will be visiting Augusta, Georgia, ahead of a trip to North Carolina later this week. The visits have been strategically planned to avoid interference with rescue operations, as highlighted by DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
During his visit to Raleigh, President Biden will meet with local officials and first responders at the state emergency operations center. Vice President Harris will also be engaging with local authorities in Augusta, Georgia, before heading to North Carolina in the coming days.
Mayorkas emphasized that the decision on the locations and timing of the visits was carefully considered to ensure that they do not disrupt the ongoing search and rescue operations and recovery efforts on the ground. The administration is working closely with state and local authorities to coordinate these visits effectively.
Looking ahead, the White House has indicated that President Biden is also interested in visiting Florida and Georgia to assess the situation and provide support. More details on these potential visits are expected to be shared later in the week.
