President Joe Biden&#8217;s administration rejected a request for federal disaster assistance from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine in response to the train derailment in East Palestine earlier this month.
The derailment, which occurred on February 3, caused a fire that lasted several days. Officials decided to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/evacuation-ordered-ohio-governor-warns-major-explosion-could-send-shrapnel-a-mile-from-derailed-train" target="_blank" rel="noopener">initiate</a> a controlled release of the chemicals to mitigate the risk of an explosion; all residents within one mile of the crash site were told to evacuate, although they were <a href="https://governor.ohio.gov/media/news-and-media/east-palestine-update-residents-can-safely-return-home-02082023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">permitted</a> to return to their homes on February 8.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) told Ohio that the Biden administration was rejecting its request for federal assistance because the agency said the incident did not qualify.
Dan Tierney, a spokesperson for DeWine, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-admin-turns-down-ohios-request-disaster-assistance-toxic-derailment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Fox News that Ohio was able to get some assistance through the Department of Health and Human Services that can assist residents who need medical care as a result of the fallout from the derailment and toxic burn.
Tierney said that DeWine would hold Norfolk Southern, the company involved in the accident, responsible for what happened. &#8220;The people of East Palestine need to be made whole,&#8221; he added.
Earlier in the day, the DeWine administration put out a statement saying that the Biden administration was not cooperating with requests to help the community through federal disaster aid.
&#8220;The DeWine Administration has been in daily contact with FEMA to discuss the need for federal support, however FEMA continues to tell Governor DeWine that Ohio is not eligible for assistance at this time,&#8221; DeWine&#8217;s office <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ohio-gov-dewine-bidens-fema-still-denying-assistance-for-east-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> earlier in the day. &#8220;Governor DeWine will continue working with FEMA to determine what assistance can be provided.&#8221;
Norfolk Southern provided the EPA with a <a href="https://response.epa.gov/site/site_profile.aspx?site_id=15933" target="_blank" rel="noopener">list</a> of cars affected by the crash and the chemicals they were carrying. The company said all five cars containing vinyl chloride have been “stabilized” after the material was burned by crews, forming massive plumes of dark smoke that were visible in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania.
Vinyl chloride is <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/vinyl-chloride" target="_blank" rel="noopener">described</a> by the National Cancer Institute as a carcinogen linked to a rare form of liver cancer called hepatic angiosarcoma, as well as lymphoma, leukemia, and various forms of brain and lung cancers. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration only <a href="https://www.osha.gov/chemicaldata/566" target="_blank" rel="noopener">permits</a> exposure of one part per million during an industrial worker’s eight-hour shift.
FEMA claimed in a statement to Fox News that it was in constant contact with DeWine&#8217;s office but it would not comment on its decision to reject disaster aid for the community.
&#8220;FEMA is in constant contact with the emergency operations center in East Palestine and with the Ohio Emergency Management Agency,&#8221; said FEMA spokesperson Jeremy Edwards. &#8220;We are closely coordinating with EPA, HHS, and the CDC, who are helping to test water and air quality, and to conduct public health assessments.&#8221;
Ben Zeisloft contributed to this report.

Ohio train

Biden Rejects Federal Disaster Assistance For Ohio Town Impacted By Toxic Train Derailment: Report

Executive

FEMA

Joe Biden

Ohio

Ohio Train Disaster

U.S.

Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine revealed Thursday that the Biden administration’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is still refusing to offer assistance for Ohio after the massive train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
Thirty-eight train cars of the 151-car Norfolk Southern train 32N originating from Madison, Illinois, derailed on February 3, prompting authorities to conduct a “toxic release” of hazardous chemicals on board the train. Those chemicals included vinyl chloride and ethylhexyl acrylate, which are considered carcinogens. According to the <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/vinyl-chloride" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Cancer Institute,</a> vinyl chloride exposure is associated with an increased risk of a rare form of liver cancer (hepatic angiosarcoma), as well as “primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma), brain and lung cancers, lymphoma, and leukemia.”
“Ohio Governor Mike DeWine spoke with officials at the White House early this morning to address the need for federal help,” DeWine <a href="https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/special-reports/train-derailment/train-derailment-east-palestine-ohio-governor-mike-dewine-federal-help-fema/95-cb611bd6-1b2d-4b26-95d1-e1d85856d4b8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement. “As a result of this conversation, the Governor has requested assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health and Emergency Response Team, and the CDC to provide on-the-ground assistance in East Palestine.”
“The DeWine Administration has been in daily contact with FEMA to discuss the need for federal support, however FEMA continues to tell Governor DeWine that Ohio is not eligible for assistance at this time,” he continued. “Governor DeWine will continue working with FEMA to determine what assistance can be provided.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that a mandatory evacuation in East Palestine had been implemented on February 5. On February 8, officials said that residents of East Palestine could return home.
The Environmental Protection Agency later informed Norfolk Southern that ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate, and isobutylene were also in the rail cars.
After the toxic release of the chemicals, Sil Caggiano, a hazardous materials specialist, <a href="https://www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/east-palestine-train-derailment/3-additional-chemicals-discovered-on-east-palestine-train-derailment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> WKBN, “We basically nuked a town with chemicals so we could get a railroad open. I was kind of surprised when they quickly told the people they could go back home, but then said if they wanted their homes tested, they could have them tested. I would’ve far rather they did all the testing.”
“There’s a lot of what-ifs, and we’re gonna be looking at this thing 5, 10, 15, 20 years down the line and wondering, ‘Gee, cancer clusters could pop up, well water could go bad,’” he added.
“The biggest question remaining is what, if anything, is still being released from the site, first and foremost,” Peter DeCarlo, an environmental health professor at Johns Hopkins University, told <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/02/12/east-palestine-ohio-derailment-residents/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Washington Post</a>. “If there are still residual chemical emissions, then that still presents a danger for people in the area.”

Ohio Senate Candidate JD Vance Holds Get Out The Vote Rally In Dayton

Ohio Gov DeWine: Biden’s FEMA Still Denying Assistance For East Palestine

Biden Administration

Disasters

East Palestine

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday announced plans to provide over $60 million to help homeowners rebuild in the wake of Hurricane Ian, and took a swipe at FEMA for not kicking into the program.
Some $25 million will go to purchasing building materials which will be provided to verified non-profit organizations to make damaged homes habitable. More than 2,000 people have already applied for the aid, said DeSantis.
“What we’ve done is launch a first-of-its-kind, state-led housing initiative to provide travel trailers and recreational vehicles to impacted Floridians who may not be eligible for FEMA’s direct housing program,” DeSantis said at a morning news conference in Punta Gorda also attended by First Lady Casey DeSantis. “We also think we can do it quicker and more efficiently than FEMA.
Another $35.2 million from the Florida Disaster Fund, which Casey DeSantis set up in the days before the storm struck Florida&#8217;s Gulf Coast in last September, will fund the state&#8217;s home repair program.
<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">TIRED OF THE LEGACY MEDIA’S BIAS CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE AND OBSCURING THE TRUTH? JOIN US AND SAVE 30%.</a>
FEMA has provided nearly $3 billion in federal grants, disaster loans and flood insurance payments to Florida following <a class="multivariate" href="https://www.newsweek.com/hurricane-ian-aftermath-videos-show-widespread-destruction-across-florida-1747601" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hurricane Ian recovery</a>. But when DeSantis asked the agency to chip in $25 million to help with the state initiative dubbed UniteFlorida, the agency declined, he said.
&#8220;Unfortunately, we got word last week that FEMA had denied our request for funding our state-led housing initiative, citing their &#8216;limited authority,'&#8221; he said. &#8220;But we&#8217;re not just gonna sit there and take no for an answer; we&#8217;re going to figure out what we can do. So that’s what we’re doing today; we want to cut through bureaucracy; we want to bring relief to impacted Floridians regardless of whether FEMA wants to be a part of that.&#8221;
Casey DeSantis said nonprofits and volunteers are providing the labor and the state and generous donors are funding the materials as the state bounces back from the devastating storm.
&#8220;This is where you really break through the bureaucracy and you maximize the dollars that are coming in,&#8221; Casey DeSantis said. &#8220;It&#8217;s not a government go at it alone, but it&#8217;s really everybody uniting for the benefit of everybody here who are affected by the hurricane.&#8221;
She said people from all over the state and nation kicked into the Florida Recovery Fund, which has taken in $57 million. The money will buy needed supplies for volunteers helping to rebuild homes, she said.
&#8220;When these people are coming from all over the country, from Colorado and Washington state to volunteer their time, to help rebuild people’s homes., we’re going to help supplement their efforts through the generosity of the Florida fund,” she said.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sqFb9KvU4Nw" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

US-ISRAEL-POLITICS-REPUBLICANS

DeSantis Announces Hurricane Relief Funding; Faults Biden’s FEMA For Stiffing Rebuilding Program

DeSantis Announces Hurricane Relief Funding; Faults Biden's FEMA For Stiffing Rebuilding Program

Casey DeSantis

Hurricane Ian

Ron DeSantis

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell vowed that Hurricane Ian relief would be provided to &#8220;all communities&#8221; after Vice President Kamala Harris discussed the Biden administration&#8217;s general policy of providing &#8220;climate resilience&#8221; resources on an equitable basis.
Appearing on &#8220;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/video/fema-administrator-says-our-focus-right-now-is-supporting-the-people-of-florida-after-ian/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Face the Nation</a>&#8221; Sunday, Criswell was asked to respond directly to the comments made by Harris. Criswell claimed that the vice president was speaking in the longer term. Still, she also reassured Americans that the federal government resources would support all people affected by the natural disaster.
&#8220;[O]ur programs support everybody,&#8221; Criswell told host Margaret Brennan. &#8220;I would say I believe some of the things the vice president was talking about are the long-term recovery and rebuilding these communities to be able to withstand disasters, so they can have less impact. We&#8217;re going to support all communities. I committed that to (Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis), I commit to you right here that all Floridians are going to be able to get the help that is available to them through our programs.&#8221;
Harris raised eyebrows on Friday when she told attendees at the Democratic National Committee’s Women’s Leadership Forum that officials would <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kamala-harris-blasted-for-pushing-racist-policy-in-response-to-hurricane-damage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">favor</a> low-income and minority groups when it came to distributing &#8220;climate resilience&#8221; resources.
“It is our lowest income communities and our communities of color that are most impacted by these extreme conditions and impacted by issues that are not of their own making,” Harris said. “And so we have to address this in a way that is about giving resources based on equity, understanding that we fight for equality, but we also need to fight for equity, understanding not everyone starts out at the same place.”
“And if we want people to be in an equal place, sometimes we have to take into account those disparities and do that work,&#8221; she added.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates later said the vice president&#8217;s comments related to a general Biden administration policy of distributing &#8220;climate resilience&#8221; resources around the country.
Many commentators related the general policy Harris was discussing to disaster relief in Florida, which had been battered by Hurricane Ian.
Christina Pushaw, Director of Rapid Response for DeSantis&#8217; re-election campaign, pushed back on Harris&#8217;s comments and demanded clarification from the Biden administration.
&#8220;This is false. @VP&#8217;s rhetoric is causing undue panic and must be clarified,&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristinaPushaw/status/1575974738794774529" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pushaw</a> wrote on Twitter. &#8220;FEMA Individual Assistance is already available to all Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian, regardless of race or background. If you need assistance visit disasterassistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This is false. <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>&#39;s rhetoric is causing undue panic and must be clarified. FEMA Individual Assistance is already available to all Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian, regardless of race or background. If you need assistance visit <a href="https://t.co/x9X8AstnzL">https://t.co/x9X8AstnzL</a> or call 1-800-621-3362. <a href="https://t.co/idsw1PX86x">https://t.co/idsw1PX86x</a>
&mdash; Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristinaPushaw/status/1575974738794774529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;[T]he areas of SWFL hardest hit by the storm are mostly white but greatly varied in socioeconomic status,&#8221; she added in a <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristinaPushaw/status/1576001214403051520?s=20&amp;t=f6v8jr6OmByXyWveF5ETzg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reply</a>. &#8220;None of that matters; rescuers are helping everyone they possibly can and people are getting the assistance they need.&#8221;
This article has been updated to clarify the Biden administration policy regarding aid related to natural disasters.

Kamala Harris

‘We’re Going To Support All Communities’: FEMA Administrator Vows To Help ‘Everybody’ After VP Harris’s ‘Equity’ Comments

FEMA Administrator Vows To Help 'Everybody' After VP Harris's 'Equity' Comments

Equity

Face The Nation

Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ron-desantis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ron DeSantis</a>&#8216; (R-FL) campaign blasted Vice President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kamala-harris" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kamala Harris</a> Friday afternoon over remarks that she made suggesting that the administration has a policy that designates funds for &#8220;climate resilience&#8221; in part based in part on race.
Harris made the remarks during a discussion with leftist Priyanka Chopra at the Democratic National Committee’s Women’s Leadership Forum in Washington, D.C.
“It is our lowest income communities and our communities of color that are most impacted by these extreme conditions and impacted by issues that are not of their own making,” Harris claimed. “And so we have to address this in a way that is about giving resources based on equity, understanding that we fight for equality, but we also need to fight for equity, understanding not everyone starts out at the same place.”
She added, “And if we want people to be in an equal place, sometimes we have to take into account those disparities and do that work.”
White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates later said the vice president&#8217;s comments related to a general Biden administration policy of distributing &#8220;climate resilience&#8221; resources around the country.
DeSantis Rapid Response Director Christina Pushaw responded directly to Harris&#8217; remarks by saying that it was false.
&#8220;This is false. @VP &#8216;s rhetoric is causing undue panic and must be clarified,&#8221; Pushaw said. &#8220;FEMA Individual Assistance is already available to all Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian, regardless of race or background. If you need assistance visit http://disasterassistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This is false. <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>&#39;s rhetoric is causing undue panic and must be clarified. FEMA Individual Assistance is already available to all Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian, regardless of race or background. If you need assistance visit <a href="https://t.co/x9X8AstnzL">https://t.co/x9X8AstnzL</a> or call 1-800-621-3362. <a href="https://t.co/idsw1PX86x">https://t.co/idsw1PX86x</a>
&mdash; Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristinaPushaw/status/1575974738794774529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kamala-harris-slammed-over-embarrassing-trip-to-south-korea-what-an-absolute-disaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kamala Harris Slammed Over ‘Embarrassing’ Trip To South Korea: ‘What An Absolute Disaster’</a>
This article has been updated to clarify the Biden administration policy regarding aid related to natural disasters.

DeSantis Campaign Nukes Kamala Harris Over Racial Remarks About Natural Disasters

Florida

President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a> (D) appeared to veer off course during a FEMA press conference Thursday afternoon after he finished making his remarks, prompting at least one official to try to grab his attention.
&#8220;Thank you,&#8221; Biden said as a reporter tried to ask him a question. &#8220;Thank you.&#8221;
Biden then walked over to a group of workers who started clapping for him.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell moved laterally and tried to briefly reach out and grab him as he walked to the group of workers.
&#8220;Mr. President,&#8221; Criswell said in trying to get his attention.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
NOW &#8211; &quot;Mr. President&#8230;?&quot;<a href="https://t.co/5UhQTbLdxC">pic.twitter.com/5UhQTbLdxC</a>
&mdash; Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) <a href="https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1575537499119779841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The incident comes after Biden on Wednesday thanked a handful of bipartisan officials for putting together the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House</a> Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. During his acknowledgments, he asked, “Where’s Jackie?” confused as to why he did not see the woman he had just mentioned in his remarks.
Biden was referencing deceased Rep. Jackie Walorksi (R-IN), who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-u-s-congresswoman-killed-in-head-on-collision" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed away</a> last month in an automobile accident.
“I want to thank all of you here, including bipartisan officials like Representative McGovern, Senator Braun, Senator Booker, Representative … Jackie, are you here? Where’s Jackie? … I think she must not be here,” Biden said while searching for Jackie.
White House Press Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/karine-jean-pierre" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Karine Jean-Pierre</a> was repeatedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/karine-jean-pierre-repeatedly-grilled-over-her-lame-response-to-biden-looking-for-deceased-congresswoman">grilled</a> by numerous reporters during Wednesday’s press briefing over Biden looking for the deceased congresswoman and she repeatedly deflected answering reporters&#8217; questions by claiming that Biden was looking for the congresswoman because she was &#8220;top of mind.&#8221;
Tim Meads contributed to this report.

Biden

Biden Appears To Get Off Course During Press Conference, Officials Try To Grab His Attention

Karine Jean-Pierre

White House

Florida Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ron-desantis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ron DeSantis</a> (R) slammed a reporter Tuesday afternoon for apparently trying to politicize the hurricane that is anticipated to hit the state.
The question from the reporter comes after the White House dodged questions earlier in the day about why President Joe Biden (D) has not called the governor despite finding time to call several mayors in the state.
&#8220;FEMA Administrator [Deanne] Criswell said today that she acknowledged concerns that Florida [inaudible] lacks response to the storm so far and that&#8211;&#8221; the reporter began.
&#8220;Whoa, whoa, whoa. Give me a break,&#8221; DeSantis fired back. &#8220;That is nonsense. Stop politicizing, okay? Stop it. We declared a state of emergency when this thing wasn&#8217;t even formed.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;ve had people in here, you&#8217;ve had counties doing, they&#8217;ve done a lot of hard work and honestly, you&#8217;re trying to attack me, I get, but like you&#8217;re attacking these other people who&#8217;ve worked very hard,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;And so that&#8217;s just totally false. I don&#8217;t think we&#8217;ve ever, certainly since I&#8217;ve been governor, declared a state emergency this early. We made sure that we were very inclusive with it. We said that there was a lot of uncertainty and then we&#8217;ve worked to make sure the preparations that have been done and all the stuff, you talk to the people at the counties, when they&#8217;ve needed something, stuff gets there very quickly because of what Kevin and his team have done.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The media can&#39;t help themselves &#8211; everything must be politicized. No opportunity to smear opponents is too low. This reporter misrepresented FEMA Director&#39;s words<a href="https://twitter.com/RonDeSantisFL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RonDeSantisFL</a> won&#39;t accept it. He&#39;ll always stand up for Florida &amp; our world class emergency response professionals <a href="https://t.co/Uemzm5vcPH">pic.twitter.com/Uemzm5vcPH</a>
&mdash; DeSantis War Room 🐳 (@DeSantisWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeSantisWarRoom/status/1574898811130060821?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Governor DeSantis dismantles a false media narrative before it can take hold. 
WATCH: <a href="https://t.co/9zIDGJvB6p">pic.twitter.com/9zIDGJvB6p</a>
&mdash; DeSantis War Room 🐳 (@DeSantisWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeSantisWarRoom/status/1574962943506014208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
DeSantis hit at Biden during some of his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-fires-back-at-biden-after-no-contact-before-hurricane-hits-we-dont-have-time-for-pettiness">remarks</a> for not reaching out sooner despite finding time to call Mayor Jane Castor of Tampa, Mayor Ken Welch of St. Petersburg, and Mayor Frank Hibbard of Clearwater.
A reporter asked the governor how he would characterize his conversations with Biden as the hurricane prepares to make landfall.
“So I have not personally spoken with the president, but FEMA has approved our pre-landfall request,” DeSantis said.
“We feel like we have a good relationship with FEMA,” he continued. “You know, I’m happy to brief the president if he’s interested in hearing what we’re doing in Florida, you know, my view on all this is like you got people’s lives at stake, you got their property at stake, and we don’t have time for pettiness. We got to work together to make sure we’re doing the best job for them.”
“So, my phone — my phone line is open,” DeSantis concluded. “But we are — we do appreciate the quick approval of the pre-landfall declaration.”
The remarks from DeSantis come as the hurricane is <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hurricane-ian-become-major-hurricane-overnight-officials-say-rcna49542">strengthening</a> while in the Gulf of Mexico and could make landfall as a category 4 hurricane.
The National Hurricane Center has <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT4+shtml/271756.shtml">warned</a> that Ian is “an extremely dangerous major hurricane.”

DeSantis Nukes Reporter Over Question At Hurricane Press Conference: ‘That Is Nonsense, Stop Politicizing’

Hurricane

On Tuesday, President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden">Biden</a> appointed a national <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/monkeypox">monkeypox</a> response coordinator to address the growing outbreak, which has infected roughly 5,800 Americans and more than 23,000 people worldwide.
The White House tapped Robert Fenton, a regional manager for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fema">Federal Emergency Management Agency</a> and former acting head of the agency, to lead the government’s response. Demetre Daskalakis, currently the director of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/cdc">CDC’s</a> Division of HIV Prevention, will be his deputy.
“Bob’s experience in federal and regional response coordination, and Demetre’s vast knowledge of our public health systems’ strengths and limits will be instrumental as we work to stay ahead of the virus and advance a whole-of-government response,” Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/president-biden-names-monkeypox-czar-11659453748?mod=e2tw">said</a>.
The announcement comes days after California, Illinois, and New York declared a state of emergency as the virus continues to spread. As of August 2, nearly half of all cases were reported in those three states. However, infections have been recorded in <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/us-map.html">48</a>.
In particular, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/san-francisco-calls-for-state-of-emergency-because-of-surging-monkeypox">San Francisco</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/150000-new-yorkers-at-risk-for-monkeypox-officials-declare-public-health-emergency">New York City</a> have been epicenters, as both cities have declared their own state of emergency. NYC Mayor Eric Adams (D) has suggested that up to 150,000 New Yorkers could be at risk for infection.
“This outbreak must be met with urgency, action, and resources, both nationally and globally, and this declaration of a public health emergency reflects the seriousness of the moment,” Adams and Dr. Ashwin Vasan, the head of the New York City health and mental hygiene department, <a href="https://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/555-22/new-york-city-health-department-declares-monkeypox-public-health-emergency">said</a> in a joint statement.
Monkeypox is in the same viral family as smallpox, and has historically been endemic to West Africa. It causes painful and visible rashes and lesions alongside fevers, aches, chills, and swollen lymph nodes. It has an estimated <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/monkeypox">3-6% mortality rate</a>. 
The recent outbreak has spread across at least <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/world-map.html">80 countries</a> and spread predominantly through body fluids and close physical contact. The outbreak is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-report-shows-lgbtq-community-hit-hardest-by-monkeypox">disproportionately affecting gay men</a>. A study in California found that 91.7% of cases in that state are of “[g]ay, Lesbian or same gender loving” people, with men accounting for 98.3% of all infections.

In this photo illustration, the word Monkeypox is seen on

Biden Names Monkeypox Czar After 3 States Declare State Of Emergency

Monkeypox

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on Monday announced a new program established with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The program, which allows Americans to apply for financial assistance for COVID-related funeral costs, appears ripe for abuse.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve been on the phone trying to get as flexible and accommodating circumstances as possible,&#8221; Rep. Ocasio-Cortez said during a press conference. &#8220;So here&#8217;s what families need to know: your loved ones should have COVID on their death certificate, anywhere listed on their death certificate, either as their primary or contributing cause of death.&#8221;
According to the congresswoman, a number of Americans, especially in New York State, died in the early days of the pandemic and were unsure of the cause of death.
&#8220;&#8230; we didn&#8217;t know what was COVID and what wasn&#8217;t, so there&#8217;s options available here. One is that you can go back to the institution that issued the death certificate, the hospital, the physician, etc. and you can have your death certificate edited in retrospect, knowing what we know now about COVID,&#8221; she explained. &#8220;So if your loved one&#8217;s death certificate does not have COVID listed, you can have it put in.&#8221;
Schumer chimed in, saying COVID wasn&#8217;t listed as a cause of death until September, which leaves a six month gap where deaths weren&#8217;t attributed to the virus, adding that he and Rep. Ocasio-Cortez were working to &#8220;correct&#8221; that issue.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
WATCH: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez breaks down how people can begin the process of receiving federal financial assistance for COVID-19 related funeral costs. <a href="https://t.co/hiFvaR3rC9">https://t.co/hiFvaR3rC9</a> <a href="https://t.co/EWqXoOdahK">pic.twitter.com/EWqXoOdahK</a>
&mdash; ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABCPolitics/status/1381645416836562945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Under the Schumer-AOC program, those who are eligible can receive up to $9,000 in reimbursement for burying a loved one who died due to COVID. That&#8217;s higher than the original $7,000 amount the pair was aiming for, Ocasio-Cortez said.
FEMA <a href="https://www.fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus/economic/funeral-assistance">eligibility requirements</a> include:
<div class="wp-block-group">
<div class="wp-block-group__inner-container">
<div class="wp-block-group">
<div class="wp-block-group__inner-container">
<blockquote>
<ul>
<li>The death must have occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.</li>
<li>The death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19.</li>
<li>The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses after January 20, 2020.</li>
<li>There is no requirement for the deceased person to have been a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien.</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<blockquote>If you had COVID-19 funeral expenses, we encourage you to keep and gather documentation. Types of information should include:
<ul>
<li>An official death certificate that attributes the death directly or indirectly to COVID-19 and shows that the death occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. 
</li>
<li>Funeral expenses documents (receipts, funeral home contract, etc.) that includes the applicant’s name, the deceased person’s name, the amount of funeral expenses, and the dates the funeral expenses happened.</li>
<li>Proof of funds received from other sources specifically for use toward funeral costs. We are not able to duplicate benefits received from burial or funeral insurance, financial assistance received from voluntary agencies, government agencies, or other sources.</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
While the plan might sound appealing on paper and could undoubtedly benefit some low-income Americans, there are also serious questions that need to be addressed.
How COVID deaths are counted
According to the <a href="https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/how-are-covid-19-deaths-counted-it-s-complicated">Association of American Medical Colleges </a>(AAMC), the way COVID deaths are counted is complex.
<blockquote>Part I asks for the &#8216;immediate cause&#8217; of death, followed by any &#8220;conditions that led to the immediate cause,&#8221; the CDC explains in <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvss/vsrg/vsrg03-508.pdf">guidelines for certifying COVID-19 fatalities</a>. For example: In some COVID-19 cases, the immediate cause is an affliction that arose from the disease, such as pneumonia, while COVID-19 gets listed under that as an underlying condition that led to death. In other words, COVID-19 caused the pneumonia.
Part II asks for conditions that did not set off medical events that led to death but contributed in some other way. Here, COVID-19 appears as sort of an accomplice to a fatality that was probably going to occur from something else (such as a preexisting, terminal disease), albeit later than if the person had not contracted COVID-19.</blockquote>
But the AAMC also warns that there are &#8220;gray areas&#8221; when determining a COVID death.
<blockquote>“There always have been cases where there are gray areas of death certification,” says Aiken, immediate past president of the National Association of Medical Examiners.
COVID-19 cases can paint lots of gray. In an instructional video for filling out death certificates in cases that might or might not be attributed to COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises health professionals to “use your best clinical judgment.”</blockquote>
Relying on a medical practitioners&#8217; &#8220;best judgement&#8221; is why some are skeptical. It&#8217;s not definitive but based on an opinion. That opinion varies from physician to physician which means there&#8217;s no way to apply standards equally across the board.
Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House Coronavirus Task Force Coordinator at the time, didn&#8217;t ease suspicions. Last April she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-dr-birx-we-have-very-liberal-recording-of-covid-deaths-if-they-test-positive-we-are-counting-that">stated</a> that anyone who had the virus at the time of their death, would be counted as part of the COVID death toll.
&#8220;So I think in this country we’ve taken a very liberal approach to mortality and I think the reporting here has been pretty straightforward over the last five to six weeks. Prior to that when there wasn’t testing in January and February, that’s a very different situation and unknown. There are other countries that if you had a preexisting condition and let’s say the virus caused you to go to the ICU and then have a heart or kidney problem, some countries are recording that as a heart issue or a kidney issue and not a COVID-19 death,&#8221; she explained in April of 2020. &#8220;Right now we’re still recording it and the great thing about having forms that come in and a form that has the ability to mark it as COVID-19 infection, the intent is right now that if someone dies with COVID-19 we are counting that as a COVID-19 death.&#8221;
Birx&#8217;s statement is why some have wondered what&#8217;s being counted as a COVID death, especially when a person has pre-existing conditions.
Amending death certificates
Schumer and Ocasio-Cortez encouraged those with loved ones suspected of dying from COVID in the last year to have death certificates amended so they have &#8220;COVID&#8221; listed as a primary or secondary cause of death. It makes sense, especially for those who passed away in February and March of 2020. It was early on in the pandemic and testing was scarce. There&#8217;s a very real probability that people died from COVID but their death certificates indicate a separate pre-existing condition, like heart disease or pneumonia, as the cause of death. But that doesn&#8217;t mean every single person who died since the start of the pandemic died from the virus. People still die from old age, cancer, heart attacks, etc. Those health issues didn&#8217;t suddenly disappear because of the pandemic.
And that calls into question a bigger issue: how do we know that those death certificate amendments are accurate? And how do we know COVID is actually to blame?
Say a person calls the physician and has the death certificate amended for their father who had Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). He was a smoker all his life and had difficulty breathing. He contracted COVID and eventually died when his lungs gave out. His lungs were shoddy to begin with before he contracted COVID. Is it fair to label his death as a result of COVID or COPD? What&#8217;s the differentiation between dying from COVID and dying with COVID? And do a person&#8217;s pre-existing conditions play into whether or not FEMA funding will be used for their funeral costs?
Will there be some sort of guidance given to physicians, medical examiners, and coroners on how to determine whether or not someone&#8217;s death certificate should be amended? Or will it be up to each individual&#8217;s discretion?
What happens when these very officials are inundated with death certificate amendment requests? Will they become so overwhelmed that automatically approve or deny them all?
There&#8217;s also a good chance that some people will see the reimbursement fund and go through the amendment process in order to qualify for assistance, even if their loved one may not have died from the virus.
A continual fund
Another big question: funding. How long will this funding go on for? Theoretically, someone could have a &#8220;COVID death&#8221; decades from now. If we apply Dr. Birx&#8217;s apparent logic about someone being counted as a COVID death because they previously had the virus, should someone who recovered now and died in 10 years due to lung damage be considered a &#8220;COVID death.&#8221; If that&#8217;s the case, then, in theory, this FEMA funding would have to remain intact for an entire generation. That means the federal government would have to plan for &#8220;COVID funeral funding&#8221; in every budget moving forward, until everyone that is alive now is gone.
It also makes you wonder: will people demand these types of funds moving forward? It creates a slippery slope for the government to pay for burial costs for a number of health-related issues. Cancer. Diabetes. Heart disease. Where does it end?
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Representative Ocasio-Cortez Holds News Conference At U.S. Post Office On Day Of Action

Democrats Established A Fund So Family Of Deceased COVID Victims Could Receive Up To $9,000. What Could Go Wrong?

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Chuck Schumer

COVID

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) blasted the Biden administration for the crisis at the southern border of the United States, asserting that when the federal government sends the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) down to the border, “It is, by definition, an emergency.”
Appearing on Fox News on Wednesday with host Harris Faulkner, McConnell stated, “My definition of a crisis is when you send the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which only goes to emergencies, down to the border. It is, by definition, an emergency. This administration walked away from the policy of the previous administration (which) was able to negotiate with the Mexican government, where people are detained on the other side of the border.
“It (Biden administration policy) allows that influx into our country and then they’re caught up in the system, which is largely going to remain under this administration a ‘catch-and-release’ approach,” McConnell continued. “Certainly we want to take care of the children, but this is about a lot more than these youngsters. This is about whether or not the federal government will contain the border. The previous administration did an excellent job on border security; this administration is stopping funding for the wall, as an example. How is that helpful? Stopping the agreement with the Mexican government to contain people on the other side of the border? How is that helpful?”
“This is a crisis,” he declared. “I don’t care what the Secretary of Homeland Security wants to call it; it’s a crisis.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
My definition of a crisis is when you send the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which only goes to emergencies, down to the border. 
This is a crisis. The Administration created it, and they own it. <a href="https://t.co/mDxERtkDjK">pic.twitter.com/mDxERtkDjK</a>
&mdash; Leader McConnell (@LeaderMcConnell) <a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderMcConnell/status/1372299448223686662?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
On Saturday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced he was sending Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to the border. The Department of Homeland Security <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2021/03/13/homeland-security-secretary-mayorkas-directs-fema-support-response-unaccompanied">stated</a> on March 13:
<blockquote>Homeland Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas has directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support a government-wide effort over the next 90 days to safely receive, shelter, and transfer unaccompanied children who make the dangerous journey to the U.S. southwest border. … FEMA is now integrated and co-located with HHS to look at every available option to quickly expand physical capacity for appropriate lodging.</blockquote>
Rep. John Katko, ranking Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dhs-chief-directs-fema-to-assist-in-government-wide-effort-to-house-child-migrants-as-number-surge">said</a> that sending FEMA was an admission there was a crisis, asserting, &#8220;By doing that they&#8217;re admitting there is a crisis even though they won&#8217;t say it.”
Earlier this month, McConnell stated on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mcconnell-unloads-on-biden-trump-excellent-on-border-biden-failing-stimulus-wildly-out-of-proportion/">Fox News</a>:
<blockquote>Secretary Mayorkas, the head of the Homeland Security, says there&#8217;s no crisis at the border. Well, that&#8217;s absolutely incorrect. And the crisis was created by the administration sending a message to desperate people who want to come here that just hang on, you will get in sooner or later.
And, of course, the Mexican government then will become less cooperative.
One thing the previous administration did an excellent job of, by any objective standard, was border security. And all of that is being undone very quickly in this new administration. They own this crisis at the border. They created it. And they could stop it if they chose to.</blockquote>

US-POLITICS-CONGRESS-VIRUS

‘It Is, By Definition, An Emergency’: McConnell Blasts Biden, Says He ‘Owns’ Crisis At The Border

Mitch McConnell

Southern Border

After weeks of claiming all is well at the U.S.-Mexico border, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Saturday acknowledged that &#8220;record numbers&#8221; of foreigners are overwhelming U.S. agencies, prompting the department to call in help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
&#8220;The federal government is responding to the arrival of record numbers of individuals, including unaccompanied children, at the southwest border. Since April 2020, the number of encounters at the border has been rising due to ongoing violence, natural disasters, food insecurity, and poverty in the Northern Triangle countries of Central America,&#8221; DHS said. &#8220;The federal government is working around the clock to move unaccompanied children from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services&#8217; (HHS) care and to place them with a family member or sponsor until their immigration case is adjudicated.  The risks posed by the spread of COVID-19 have made this mission all the more difficult.&#8221;
&#8220;I am grateful for the exceptional talent and responsiveness of the FEMA team,&#8221; said Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.  &#8220;I am incredibly proud of the agents of the Border Patrol, who have been working around the clock in difficult circumstances to take care of children temporarily in our care. Yet, as I have said many times, a Border Patrol facility is no place for a child. We are working in partnership with HHS to address the needs of unaccompanied children, which is made only more difficult given the protocols and restrictions required to protect the public health and the health of the children themselves. Our goal is to ensure that unaccompanied children are transferred to HHS as quickly as possible, consistent with legal requirements and in the best interest of the children.&#8221;
Mayorkas said calling in FEMA is part of a 90-day &#8220;government-wide&#8221; effort to deal with the surge in foreigners at the border, which began after President Joe Biden’s changed several policies.
In some of his first actions in office, Biden did away with the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), which kept foreigners who tried to enter the U.S. illegally in Mexico to await hearings. Instead, Biden has returned to a “catch-and-release” policy in which illegal aliens are allowed to enter the U.S.
Mayorkas said FEMA will be used to get children out of Border Patrol custody more quickly. Under current law, unaccompanied children at the border must be transferred to federal shelters within 72 hours of being apprehended at the border, but the surge has made that difficult.
&#8220;FEMA is now integrated and co-located with HHS to look at every available option to quickly expand physical capacity for appropriate lodging. The workforce of DHS, including CBP, the Federal Protective Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and volunteers from across the Department through the DHS Volunteer Force, will help to provide shelter capacity, security, and other support as needed,&#8221; Mayorkas said.

Migrants In Caravan That Travelled Through Mexico Attempt To Be Granted Asylum At U.S. Border

DHS Finally Admits ‘Record’ Surge At Southern Border, Enlists FEMA To Detain Children

Department of Homeland Security

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have created a plan to reopen America after the country was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, which originated in China.
&#8220;CDC and FEMA officials have worked on the public health response for at least the past week, and the resulting document has been discussed at the White House, including by members of the coronavirus task force,&#8221; The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/04/14/cdc-fema-have-created-plan-reopen-america-heres-what-it-says/">reported</a>. &#8220;The version obtained by The Post appears to be an early draft by FEMA and contains granular instructions for a phased reopening of institutions such as schools, child-care facilities, summer camps, parks, faith-based organizations and restaurants.&#8221;
The <a href="https://context-cdn.washingtonpost.com/notes/prod/default/documents/f99f42b3-55c4-4613-9f9c-3ac174f10a4b/note/1a8a55a6-68f9-4b76-8e02-01779290c1a5.#page=1">plan</a> essentially starts now with the goal that communities can start to be reopened on May 1.
A White House official told The Washington Post: “Beneath the bluster of the president saying May 1, and he’s in charge, and all the other things, there are real efforts to figure out how we could safely and actually do this.”
The plan outlines designating communities in three categories:
<ul>
<li>Low Mitigation – communities where significant spread was never observed, can “re-open” soon</li>
<li>Moderate Mitigation – former hot spots entering controlled recovery, limited mitigation communities observing increased, but contained transmission</li>
<li>Significant Mitigation – current or emerging hot spots, moderate mitigation communities showing signs of strained capacity</li>
</ul>
The plan notes that &#8220;significant advancements in testing, therapeutics, and investments in the public health and health care systems&#8221; have allowed the Trump administration to get to this point where they are ready to get things going again.
Decisions on reopening individual communities – which will be made at the federal, state, and local levels – are contingent on:
<ul>
<li>Confidence that incidence of infection is genuinely low.</li>
<li>A surveillance system that is well functioning and capable of promptly detecting any increase in incidence.</li>
<li>A public health system that is reacting robustly to all cases of COVID-19 and has surge capacity to react to an increase in incidence.</li>
<li>A health system that has the capacity in all respects, including inpatient beds, staffing, an other services, to handle all cases and that is in a position to rapidly scale up to deal with a surge in cases.</li>
</ul>
The three macro-phases outlined in the plan are:
<ul>
<li>Phase 1: Prepare the Nation (now-May 1)
<ul>
<li>National Communication Campaign</li>
<li>Tools to Assess Community Readiness to Re-Open Closed Spaces (by April 15)</li>
<li>Dashboards For Ongoing Decision Support For Adjusting Mitigation Strategies</li>
<li>Coordination Facilitated Across Proximate Geographic Areas By State And Federal Officials In Order To Share Changes Across Indicators And Coordinate Adjusted Mitigation Approaches</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Phase 2: Innovation and Ingenuity Applied to Pandemic (now – May 15)
<ul>
<li>Economic Recovery through Pandemic Management</li>
<li>Economic Recovery through Support for Local Businesses &amp; Schools</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Phase 3: Staged Re-Opening (varies by local conditions – not before May 1)
<ul>
<li>Low Mitigation Locations (first to open)</li>
<li>Moderate Mitigation Locations – Step Down From Significant To Moderate Mitigation, Or Step Up From Low To Moderate Mitigation (Based On Indicators (Not Likely Before June?)</li>
<li>Significant Mitigation Communities (Remain In Shelter In Place Until Thresholds Are Met)</li>
<li>Continuous Monitoring and Mitigation Adjustment ALL Communities (Now Until End Of Spread Or Vaccine Availability)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Tell the Democrat Governors that “Mutiny On The Bounty” was one of my all time favorite movies. A good old fashioned mutiny every now and then is an exciting and invigorating thing to watch, especially when the mutineers need so much from the Captain. Too easy!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1250075668282576898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Portrait Of Smiling Young Woman Holding Open Sign While Standing In Cafe

CDC, FEMA Have Created Plan To Reopen America. Here’s The Projected Start Date And Phases.

Donald Trump

Menu