President Biden has promised that the federal government will “give anything and everything” to help California. But recovery could take years.
And with President-elect Donald Trump due to take office next Monday, and Republicans in control of the House and Senate, the GOP will soon be in full control of spending, including disaster relief.
Many Republicans say that aid to California should come with some conditions. Among them is Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who said California’s leadership made “stupid decisions in mismanagement” of wildfire mitigation.
“We have to get people to assess and take on the risks themselves,” Johnson told NPR’s Steve Inskeep. “I think what has happened over the decades here with federal disaster relief is that more and more individuals, more and more states are just relying on the federal government.”
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