Florida GOP U.S. Sen. Rick Scott said Friday that he’s asked the federal agencies involved with disaster relief to tell him what are the dollar figures they’ll need from Congress to help Floridians harmed by hurricanes Helene and Milton over the past two weeks.
“I talked to the FEMA administrator yesterday and said, ‘Give me a number. … Tell me when you need it and I’ll be very helpful in trying to get it done.’ So, I’ve asked that from FEMA, and I’ve asked that from the SBA administrator [the] same thing, and then I asked the president, ‘If you give me the numbers, I’ll be very vocal about it.’”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s director is Deanne Criswell. The SBA is the Small Business Administration.
President Biden on Thursday joined other Democrats calling on Congress to return to Washington sooner rather than later to pass additional disaster relief following the two storms. But he’s opposed in that effort by GOP Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, who has said that Congress will address those funding needs but only after the general election next month.
Speaking to reporters after taking a boat ride with Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister and others who were making rescue missions to save residents from flooding, Scott said he believed Johnson could be convinced to return to Washington.
“If we need the money, I’ve very comfortable that Mike Johnson will be supportive of us going back to get it done,” he told the Phoenix.
The Naples Republican, running for re-election against Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, said that President Biden has thanked him this week for being vocal in ensuring that FEMA, the Small Business Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Department of Agriculture are fully funded so that they can provide the proper relief to Floridians.
The White House announced on Friday that the president will appear somewhere in Florida on Sunday to visit areas affected by Hurricane Milton.
Climate change?
Scott repeated comments he made following Hurricane Helene’s assault on Florida when asked if he felt the powerful storms are a result of a warming planet due to carbon emissions.
“I don’t think there’s any question that the climate’s changing, so let’s acknowledge [that],” he told reporters.
“You look at 2017, with the storm surge we had with Irma down in the Keys. Look at 2018, with the storm surge at Mexico Beach,” Scott continued.
So, what we have to do is, we have to think about how we’re going to deal with it. When I was governor, what we did, we funded studies, we spent quite a money on both beach renourishments, sea level rise, studies on it, we did flood mitigation. … As citizens, we’re going to have to figure out how to deal with this.”
Florida Democrats were less impressed by Scott’s speaking up for FEMA funding on Friday, noting that Scott skipped the vote in September when Republicans opposed supplemental disaster funds in a continuing resolution to continue funding the U.S. government.
“Floridians desperately need disaster relief funding to rebuild from Helene and Milton, but Rick Scott wasn’t in Washington to fight for it when it mattered most. Scott wants to be the hero, but he can’t change the facts: He’s voted against disaster relief time and time again. Floridians are sick of Scott’s performances and will hold him accountable in November,” party chair Nikki Fried told the Phoenix in a written statement.
The emergency boat rescues conducted by Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies took place as the Alafia River in Lithia, east of Tampa, had risen about 15 feet since Milton dumped more than 15 inches of rain in the county on Wednesday night.
“This isn’t a boat ramp,” Chronister told reporters while standing in front of a pool of water several feet deep.
“This is a neighborhood that’s flooded that we’re able to use to launch a lot of our equipment. ..This six feet of flooding that these poor residents are enduring were a mile away from the river. These residents are resilient, they’re used to a little bit of flooding. They’re not used to this level of this kind of flooding, and how fast it occurred.”
–Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix
Tom Hutson says
Rick Scott is another congressional dirt bag! He needs to be voted OUT of office.
He’s the epitome of our two state senators. He did nothing when he was governor and like a leopard that cannot change his spots, Scott is a do nothing Senator. Everything for Scott, nothing for the Florida voter. Time for the Voters to get rid of Rick Scott at November 5, 2024 Election!!
Skibum says
Rick Scott loves to make grandiose photo op drive-bys during election season but we know not only his history of corruption and incompetence, but also his absences in the senate. He has been getting even more extreme with his MAGA views and support as he attempts to replace Sen. McConnell as the top Republican in the Senate. All he wants is power, but when he had that great power as gov and senator he did not do what is right for Floridians who needed his help and influence. He needs to go!
Al says
Let’s get a clean bill of no more then 2 pages for emergency relief only. Not for illegals, sanctuary cites or any other BS. the last bill was fill of pork and this has to stop now. Congress needs to address each item on it’s own not the Pelosi era 2,500 page bills that nobody reads till weeks later.
Wobie says
Too little, too late Mr. Scott.
Nice use of campaigning while touring disaster. Time for you to go!
Carol b says
Too little, too late, Prick Scott! Just hope this is his swan song!
Jim says
Hi, I’m Rick Scott and I’m running for re-election. It’s three weeks out from election day so I thought this would be a great time to tell all the voters and [now] I’m for FEMA funding! I know I missed the vote (because I didn’t want to publicly vote NO) but I had important things to do (campaign) and I didn’t think actually doing my job as a senator really mattered. But we’re close to the election and I see my opponent is gaining on me (I’ll just spend more of my personal fortune to offset that) so I see that telling everyone that although my actions don’t support my statements, I really, really want FEMA money sent here to Florida. Now, if they would just hold the election outside of hurricane season, I could say that the government spends too much money, we need to be fiscally conservative and we need to sunset Social Security and other programs but we just had a hurricane so I’ll say whatever is politically prudent for my re-election. But you guys hang on! If I win, I assure you I’ll go back to my usual talking points because you SOB’s can’t touch me for six more years!!!
How could you possibly not vote for a great guy like me??!!
Nephew Of Uncle Sam says
Too little too late for Scott, now that the Election is almost here he’ll say anything for Votes. Just like Waltz who Voted against FEMA additional funds, he’ll be around the area (maybe) promising the world and what he’s done (nothing) for all of his constituents. Don’t be fooled and continue Voting against YOUR best interests, the time is now who is going to do the best job in Washington for YOU? Including your local Mayor and City Council too, think and learn about all the candidates who will be best for Palm Coast and YOU. Time to get rid of Scott and Waltz and Elect Powell and Stockton.
Paul T says
I’m sorry, but I don’t believe that Senator Rick Scott, has ‘turned his coat’ on either government spending or climate change.
When Scott was governor he banned the words ‘climate change’ and ‘global warning’ from official discussions or statements and his views on government spending including the unaffordability of both Medicare and Social Security are in the public record. .
This new found magnanimity is pre-election speak, he want’s our votes.
Will it continue post-election? I think voters need to look at Scott’s track record and make that decision for themselves.
BillC says
Like a hurricane, Rick Scott goes whichever opportunistic way the wind blows.
Billionare tax break says
The r cons supplied all the no votes for fema funding. This is true for nearly any and every program that would help everyday people.
Rick Scott Is A Fraud says
No he won’t. He supports P25, which defunds FEMA. He’s a rancid human being. Another grifting con man pretending he’s caring and strong and people fall for it. How? You all know he defrauded Medicare. You all should know by now he wants to get rid of social security and he had the gall to put out an ad saying he supports IVF but won’t vote to protect it. We need honor and dignity in our elected government leaders. End the clown show. Stop electing snake oil salesmen.
Ignoramus ⬆️ says
Did you read the bill? Where was the pork? I read it. It’s ways to find. You’re making shit up now. Admit it. Republicans like Rick Scott do not care about their constituents unless money exchanges hands. Every time a bill doesn’t pass you people scream the same programmed language you heard on Fox News, “It has pork.” No. Rick Scott supports P25. That means he supports defunding FEMA, defunding the NHC, defunding groups that protect us citizens because he can make more money turning his back on us.
By the way, at one point in time one of your ancestors was an illegal. Everyone that isn’t 100% Native American had a family member that was here as an immigrant (even Native Americans immigrated over a land bridge from Asia) and if you think all “okay” immigration was all legal you really are their target audience. I’m really sick of people thinking they aren’t the product of an immigrant. You are. I am. Almost every person reading this is.
Atwp says
People keep voting Republicans into office. He is riding in a boat no doubt paid for by our tax dollars. What about the little moms and pops who need help now, the Republicans voted against FEMA. Now some of the Trumpsters are lying about FEMA. If Trump wins, he will show us how he dosent care about nobody but himself and his nonthinking helpers. Get ready for a death march if Trump win the election.
S. Peters says
He’s as helpful as a hernia
Joseph Barand says
If Scott had been properly tried when he took billions in Medicare fraud, he would still be in prison. Just imagine all the damage he has done could have been avoided if he legal system had worked as it was designed.
Stephen says
Where’s little Marco? Is he hiding from the big bad hurricanes?
Tony Mack says
Scott gave a deposition in 2000 in which he invoked the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution 75 times. The amendment reads in part that no one “shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself.” And the geezers here in Florida still elected him as Governor and now they want him back as Senator.
Even Scott’s BFF, Trump has suggested on many occasions that people who invoke their right against self-incrimination are guilty. “You see the mob takes the Fifth,” Trump said during a 2016 rally in Iowa. “If you’re innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?”
What is it about Republicans that they are comfortable electing criminals to the highest offices in this Republic? Is it that they hate the Democrats so much, the very party who provided them their Social Security, their Medicare, their Medicaid, their VA benefits, they continue to elect criminals and then blame Democrats for the high price of gas. I just don’t understand it.
Foresee says
Texas (pronounced teh-hass in the original spanish pronunciation), Nevada, California, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, etc. , cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego- all land stolen from Native Americans by the Spanish Conquistadors, then in turn taken by the US troops and settlers. Don’t forget Mexico (pronounced meh-he-co) you know, the place where all the illegal aliens are coming from.
feddy says
There is a difference between illegal and immigrant. I have no problem with anyone coming into the country just do it the legal way.
JW says
Scott is one word: A Coward
jackson says
So Rick Scott supports a “phaseout” of Medicare? How ungrateful is that? Without a Medicare program he never could have become obscenely rich by running a company that stole billions from the program.
Scott is a fine example of what happens when you don’t prosecute corporate criminals, the way you do ordinary people. We need an AG who will ruthlessly prosecute corporate and political criminals to the fullest extent of the law., unlike Garland the timid.
John says
If you trust Scott or DeathSantis you need your heads examined. They love bashing the Democratic leadership until they want something. Scott turned down more money for FEMA now he wants their help, what a true bigot.
He is out for himself no different then Trump and the rest of the corrupt MAGA party. The true Republicans of that party are long gone they don’t exists anymore so don’t be a fool and vote for the new MAGA Corrupt Trump party. You will only be voting in the Want to Be Dictator Trump. Read Project 2025 and take a look at want he will do on day one if he is elected.
Prepared if he loses he will have another January 6th insurrections because he doesn’t have the courage or guts to admit he lost, just like before.
He is the biggest con artist the USA has ever seen. Stop being foolish, he could give too craps about you.
Charles says
He’s kissing Trumps butt, he forgets his immigrant background.
Alex says
The MAGA Trump party doesn’t help the average Americans they only help themselves and their rich friends. PERIOD. Stop being a sucker and voting these con artists into office, they don’t give too craps about you.
Jim says
Marco isn’t running for election now. He can continue to coast for another four years. I assure you, though, in that year, when the hurricanes come, Marco will be standing in the pulpit calling for FEMA aid for all Floridians. But that’s during the election season. Right now he’s a fiscal conservation and doesn’t want the Fed’s to help!
BlueJammer says
And the award for Best Comment of the Evening goes to…. (long pause) JIM! (Long applause and cheering!)
Sherry says
@feddy. . . read all the convoluted (look it up) regulations needed to “legally” immigrate to the USA. . . then come back and tell us all why it was OK for trump to STOP the immigration reform legislation from passing in Congress. Maybe then you just may have something/anything “credible” to say.
Laurel says
feddy: I totally agree with you. The problem we are having right now is the spewing of misinformation, and lies, while ignoring the truth about immigrants. We can solve this situation without rounding up immigrants (whether they are legal or not), or internment camps (Nazi Germany much?), or ending sanctuary cities (just how would that work, banging down doors?) the way Trump is proposing. His lying about these people helps no one, especially us. We can do it without such tactics; we are smarter than that.
Laurel says
Tony Mack: You don’t get it because you think it’s us “geezers” who are responsible. I know plenty who did not vote for Trump, DeSantis, Rubio, Waltz, Scott and other far right wing politicians. You don’t see the young people standing behind Trump at his rallies? The “Jews will not replace us” tiki boys were mostly young and middle age. Geezers weren’t climbing the walls of the Capital on Jan 6.
It’s about the “poorly educated” Trump states he “loves.” A man in his forties just told us he will vote for Trump in hopes of interest rates going down so that he can buy a house. Well, where was he when the interest rates were lower? Clueless that when rates go down, prices go up. Clueless about investors buying up properties and price fixing. Another young man, 20 something, who grew up in Miami, told us he had never heard of St. Augustine, and had no idea where it is.
How the heck…?
The common denominator here is obvious. The thing is, it’s not too late for these young, middle age and seniors to learn the truth. They need to change the channel, change the information bias on social media, and start researching the facts…for a change.