House Passes Fourth Round of Disaster Relief
Raleigh, NC – Legislators from the North Carolina House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the fourth round of hurricane relief measures. House Bill 47, the “Disaster Recovery Act of 2025,” allocates $524 million for Hurricane Helene relief efforts in Western North Carolina, bringing total relief funding from the General Assembly across all four legislative relief packages to more than $1.4 billion. The bill also includes $217 million to complete rebuilding homes in Eastern North Carolina and nearly $110 million in statewide relief for farmers in addition to Helene-specific agriculture funding.
Key funding provisions in House Bill 47 include:
$200 million to Helene-specific crop-loss and farm restoration
$120 million for rebuilding and repairing homes
$100 million for repairing private roads and bridges
$55 million for small business infrastructure grants
$20 million to remove millions of cubic yards of debris
$10 million to support essential volunteer organizations
$10 million for volunteer fire departments
$9 million for learning recovery for students in Helene-affected counties
$4 million for travel and tourism marketing
$217 million to close out home rebuilding operations in Eastern NC
$110 million to assist farmers with non-Helene-related crop loss
Key changes in the final bill include additional education funding for Western North Carolina and increased funding for farm relief across the state. The legislation also includes regulatory relief for Western North Carolina to assist with rebuilding. Strict oversight and accountability provisions for both Eastern and Western recovery were included to ensure that the failures of past rebuilding efforts will not be repeated.
Speaker Destin Hall stated, “This legislation will bring much-needed relief to Western North Carolina while finally bringing to a close the scandalous rebuilding failures in the Eastern part of our state. The Cooper and Biden administrations neglected North Carolinians, leaving communities to suffer due to mismanagement and broken promises. It is time to pass this legislation and deliver the aid and accountability that our citizens expect and deserve.”
Helene Select Committee Co-Chair John Bell said, “This bill marks another important step forward for the people of Western North Carolina. It allocates essential funding for home construction, farmer support, small business relief, and educational assistance. Additionally, it ensures that hurricane victims in Eastern North Carolina can return to their homes after years of neglect under former Gov. Cooper's administration.”
Helene Select Committee Co-Chair Dudley Greene stated, “We are proud to have worked alongside the Senate to craft and approve this vital relief legislation that continues Western North Carolina’s recovery from Hurricane Helene.”
House Majority Leader Brenden Jones said, “After years of delays and mismanagement, House Bill 47 delivers for the people of Eastern North Carolina. With $217 million allocated to complete long-overdue home rebuilds, families who have waited far too long will finally get the relief they deserve. With strict oversight to ensure every dollar is used properly—we are finishing the job once and for all.”
House Agriculture and Environment Committee Senior Chair Jimmy Dixon remarked, “This bill is a needed helping hand to farmers across our state who have fallen victim to the devastating impact of natural disasters.”
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