Remarks by the Vice President on Hurricane Helene in Charlotte, North Carolina

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, Governor, I want to thank you — General, Administrator. I came out to talk with the folks who have been doing God's work on the ground here in the last several days.

The work that is happening here and that continues really is the best of what we can do to bring federal, state, and local resources together in a way that is coordinated with one purpose and one purpose only, which is bringing relief, support, and help to the people who are most in need and desperate for help and desperate to be seen and heard.

I just spoke with members of the National Guard to thank them. They, like so many who are on the ground doing this work — whether it be through FEMA, the governor's office, state offices — they — many of them who are doing this work have been directly hit themselves. We are talking about people who are leaders, who are from the communities that have been hardest hit.

And I think we all have to recognize and thank them for the nobility of their work and their calling, which is to leave their home, to leave their families who may need the kind of resources that they can provide. But they have taken an oath. They have taken on a job that says to them they must go and help those who are in need, many who may be strangers to them.

So, I came here to find out what's going on on the ground, to find out what more we can do in terms of federal aid, such as what we announced today, and the federal support we're giving to Mecklen- — Mecklenburg County in terms of disaster relief — the work that we are doing, which is $100 million to assist with the rebuilding of Interstate 40. And also, again, just to thank the folks on the ground for what they are doing every day.

And, again, I want to thank you, Governor, Administrator, General, everyone who is here — Colonel — for all you are doing on behalf of everyone in this region and our nation. You all are doing extraordinary work, and we are forever grateful to you all. So, thank you.

Thank you all.