President Biden arrived in Florida on Wednesday to meet with political opponent Gov. Ron DeSantis to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Ian.
White House press secretary Carine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday that First Lady Biden accompanied First Lady Jill Biden to visit hard-hit Fort Myers to “help the people of Florida recover and rebuild from a devastating storm. We reaffirm his commitment to do so.” .
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DeSantis wasn’t at the Fort Myers airport to greet Biden, who is shaking hands with Republican Rep. Byron Donald on the tarmac.
Also to welcome Biden are Lee County Chairman Cecil Pendergrass, Cape Coral Fire Commissioner Ryan Lamb, FEMA Officer Harvey Manns, Fort Myers Beach Officer Colleen Brooks, and four firefighters. attended.
Biden began his visit with an aerial tour of Fort Myers.
He will also thank local, state and federal officials who worked to provide life-saving assistance to the millions of Floridians affected by the devastating hurricane.
People continue to face power outages, lingering flood levels and ongoing rescue efforts, wanting people to return to their communities.
Mr. Biden on Wednesday extended the federal emergency relief measures he first enacted “at 100% of eligible costs” on Sept. 29 for an additional 30 days, making direct federal assistance packages available for 60 days.
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The Relief Package provides funding for “debris removal and emergency protective measures.”
Biden will be briefed by DeSantis and FEMA Administrator Dean Criswell, as well as other state and local officials, before addressing the people of Florida Wednesday afternoon.
Look back at this development story.