Where is LA's $40 Billion in Wildfire Aid?
5/15/2025 | 2mVideo has Closed Captions
Newsom pushes for $40B in federal aid to rebuild LA after wildfires.
Months after devastating wildfires, Los Angeles still hasn't received the $40 billion in federal aid requested by Governor Newsom. As Congress stalls, pressure mounts from voters and political leaders to secure disaster relief before existing emergency funds run out.
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SoCal Matters is a local public television program presented by PBS SoCal
Where is LA's $40 Billion in Wildfire Aid?
5/15/2025 | 2mVideo has Closed Captions
Months after devastating wildfires, Los Angeles still hasn't received the $40 billion in federal aid requested by Governor Newsom. As Congress stalls, pressure mounts from voters and political leaders to secure disaster relief before existing emergency funds run out.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipThree months into President Donald Trump's second term and the recovery from the firestorm that devastated Los Angeles, Governor Gavin Newsom is at a precarious juncture.
Newsom extended an olive branch to Trump in January as Los Angeles reeled from multiple fires and the president threatened to withhold disaster aid, but it has yet to deliver on its early promise.
Amid ongoing battles over government funding, Congress has to date ignored Newsom's request for $40 billion to rebuild Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, new political pressures are mounting.
Democratic voters are increasingly furious with Trump's dismantling of the federal government and are agitating their leaders to speak out.
Even Newsom can no longer hold his tongue.
The stakes are incredibly high, not only for the future of Los Angeles but also for Newsom's gubernatorial legacy.
The Newsom administration remains hopeful that Congress will approve a supplemental disaster relief package by this summer.
Its $40 billion wish list includes money for debris removal, public infrastructure repair, housing reconstruction, economic development grants, and small business loans.
Newsom said that he was encouragedbecause he has not heard anything from the Trump administration recently, either publicly or privately, reinforcing the president's earlier comments about conditioning aid.
The bipartisan team of Democratic Senator Alex Padilla and Republican Congressman Ken Calvert of Corona is leading the push on Capitol Hill, with California's entire congressional delegation behind them.
California has a few more months of fiscal runway because of a generous major disaster declaration that then-President Joe Biden signed immediately after the Los Angeles fires in January.
That order authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reimburse 100% of the costs for cleanup, hazard mitigation, and financial assistance for survivors for 180 days.
After that, 75% of eligible emergency response costs are reimbursed.
That account will eventually run out of money, requiring Congress to act to fund a longer-term recovery for Los Angeles.
For CalMatters, I'm Alexei Koseff.
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