WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: Biden-Harris Administration's Coordinated Response, Surge of Resources Helping Communities Respond to and Recover from Hurricane Helene

President Biden and Vice President Harris continue to lead a whole-of-government response to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. The President and Vice President have traveled throughout the Southeast this week to meet with impacted communities and, during their travels, have reaffirmed that the Administration will be with impacted communities every step of the way, no matter how long it takes, to ensure they have the support and resources they need to recover and rebuild.

Bipartisan leaders from across the country are highlighting the Biden-Harris Administration's well-coordinated response and surge of resources to impacted communities, including:

Senator Lindsey Graham: "Everybody is pitching in. This is an incredible experience for me. So, to President Biden, thank you for coming. Thank you for paying attention to our needs. We have had a good working relationship between the federal government." [WLTX]

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp: "Earlier today, I spoke to @POTUS and thanked him for visiting our state and for adding counties to the disaster declaration list. I also pushed for more counties to be added and for additional support as we work day and night to recover from the devastating impacts of Helene." [X]

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster: "[Ongoing Federal assistance for South Carolina] has been superb. … We are getting assistance and we are asking for everything we need." [Press Conference]

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee: "And you see this rush of local officials, TEMA, FEMA, from the federal to the state to the local, the local emergency management agencies, local county mayors with tears in their eyes out there serving their people. There is a great deal of hope when you see what is behind the effort, the coordinated effort, in this community to begin to rebuild." [Press Conference]

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper: "We're grateful for the quick actions and close communications that we've had with the President and with the FEMA team. Mr. Secretary, we're grateful to you and the President for sending Administrator Criswell who has been on the ground with me in western North Carolina, as we're working to coordinate this massive, massive surge of help to western North Carolina. And Mr. President, we know that we've made a lot of asks of you and we're grateful for your ear and for your actions." [WJZY]

North Carolina Congresswoman Deborah Ross: "I am incredibly grateful for the surge in federal resources our state is receiving to help Western NC recover and rebuild." [X]

Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer: "We are seeing incredible help from the Federal government to the state, to private sector and nonprofit and faith-based organizations, everybody pouring in with their help." [MSNBC]

Canton, North Carolina Mayor Zeb Smathers: "It is true that state, federal & local partners are leading a massive, coordinated response to a catastrophic storm and we are thankful for it…" [X]

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor: "The federal response has been nothing short of amazing. President Biden sent in the resources for the Hillsborough County area that we're in. I actually got a personal call from Vice President Harris yesterday, wanting to know if there was anything that we needed in our area. So we've been very fortunate in a local level, state level, federal level, and getting the resources that we need." [CNN]