North Carolina’s Republican senators have lifted their remaining holds on President Donald Trump’s Department of Homeland Security nominees after the lawmakers said they received assurances their hurricane-ravaged state will receive more disaster funding.
The end of the monthslong blockade means that as many as three DHS nominees — including Pedro Allende for undersecretary for science and technology — could be confirmed by the Senate before the end of the year.
It is also a win for Sens. Ted Budd and Thom Tillis, who put up a roadblock for party leaders and the Trump administration in order to secure concessions from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is a part of DHS.
They appear to have come away with a commitment that FEMA will boost support for western North Carolina more than a year after Hurricane Helene swept through the Southeast.
