Biden news – live: President promises Kentucky more aid, calling floods part of ‘dangerous’ climate crisis

As Senate Democrats prepared to pass the keystone legislation now known as the Inflation Reduction Act, they began to coalesce around a simple message: We get things done. And for once, they have a case, writes Eric Garcia.

Biden hails the incredible job of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the face of the unprecedented number of climate disasters across the nation — from flooding and fires to tornadoes and heatwaves.

Earlier on Air Force One, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also noted the increasing occurrence and intensity of such disasters.

“The floods in Kentucky and extreme weather all around the country are yet another reminder of the intensifying and accelerating impacts of climate change and the urgent need to invest in making our communities more resilient to it,” she said.

This is President Biden’s second visit to Kentucky. He previously visited in December after tornadoes whipped through the state, killing 77 people and leaving a trail of destruction.

“I wish I could tell you why we keep getting hit here in Kentucky,” Mr Beshear said recently. “I wish I could tell you why areas where people may not have much continue to get hit and lose everything. I can’t give you the why, but I know what we do in response to it. And the answer is everything we can. These are our people. Let’s make sure we help them out.”

Mr Biden has expanded federal disaster assistance to Kentucky, ensuring the federal government will cover the full cost of debris removal and other emergency measures.

With over 700 FEMA personnel deployed in the area, Governor Beshear and Dean of the House Rep Hal Rogers thanked the president and the agency director Deanne Criswell for their swift action on the day of the floods and since.

The United States will provide $1bn in security assistance for Ukraine, the single largest package using the president’s drawdown authority, including munitions for long-range weapons and armored medical transport vehicles, acting Pentagon spokesman Todd Breasseale said on Monday.

The package adds to about $8.8bn in aid the United States has given Ukraine since Russia’s invasion on February 24. It includes munitions for HIMARS, NASAMS surface-to-air missile system ammunition, and as many as 50 M113 armored medical transports.

Reuters

First Lady Jill Biden and Kentucky FIrst Lady Britainy Beshear helped out volunteers packing food and clothes for flood victims.

President Joe Biden called the deadly floods in eastern Kentucky another sign of dangerous climate change. “It’s unfortunate. It’s my second visit to Kentucky, for a crisis,” he said. “I promise you… As long as it takes we’re going to be here. We [the federal government] are committed. There’s absolute 100 per cent coverage of cost for the next few months.” “People don’t realise those piles of heavy debris, it takes a lot of time, a lot of money to take it away,” Mr Biden said, before talking about flying over the region. “It’s a magnificent state,” the president said, calling it “incredibly heartbreaking” to see cars and buses washed into creeks, and that 37 people have died.

Governor Andy Beshear spoke before the president. “This is the most devastating and deadly flooding event certainly in my lifetime, unlike anything we’ve ever seen,” the governor said. Thousands of people are staying with friends and relatives “but it’s going to take us some time to stabilise people with needs for housing. Thankfully we have over 100 travel trailers on site, faster than we ever anticipated.” “The National Guard airlifted out over 1,300 people” and state police and other agencies rescued thousands of others, Mr Beshear said. Nine days out, “We’ve got power to everybody but about 200 homes. That is incredible. Water to more people than we ever thought was possible in this period of time. Cell phone service… Today is beautiful but the weather has not helped us out. It has either been raining or altogether too hot.” The governor also lauded Biden: “He came through” … for “Team Kentucky”.