President Donald Trump on Monday said he plans to work with Congress on authorizing disaster relief funding for the areas pounded by Hurricane Harvey.
“We’re dealing with Congress,” Trump told reporters during a meeting with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto. “As you know, it’s going to be a very expensive situation. We want to take care of the people of Texas and Louisiana when that happens … we’ll be there for the people of Louisiana, also. Very much so.”
Harvey was the most powerful hurricane to hit Texas in more than 50 years when it came ashore on Friday. It reached land along the Gulf Coast of Texas and has overrun Houston with water. It is expected to leave thousands temporarily homeless in the city as rain dumps in the coming days.
Now a tropical storm, Harvey could move toward Louisiana in the coming days.
Trump, who will travel to Texas on Tuesday, said he may also visit Louisiana this weekend.
He praised the response of local, state and federal response teams, as well as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Hurricane relief funding has proven politically contentious in the past. In 2013, some congressional Republicans opposed aid spending following Hurricane Sandy, saying unrelated funding measure were attached to the bill.