¶ Overview
- Edwards failed Western North Carolinians when they needed him most: to bullishly fight for Hurricane Helene recovery money. Instead, he delivered “a rather large nothingburger.” When the Trump administration refused North Carolina’s request to extend the 100 percent FEMA cost-matching for recovery efforts, Edwards claimed the request was “unprecedented.” Edwards stood by while former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem let FEMA funds pile up on her desk because of her policy that all contracts above $100,000 be personally approved by her – Edwards didn’t bother to co-sponsor legislation that would prevent such delays in the future. Edwards touted authoring a $110 billion relief bill passed by congress in December 2024, but North Carolina was only expected to get $9-$15 billion of the money. Even Edwards’ Republican primary opponent criticized Edwards’ failure to deliver on Helene aid.
- North Carolina had only received a small percentage of the federal assistance it had requested so far. Under the Trump administration, Helene recovery funding was delayed in getting to local governments in Western North Carolina that were facing budget shortfalls and uncertainty as a result of the delays.
- As if that wasn’t bad enough, Edwards’ support of tariffs and the Trump administration’s DOGE effort only exacerbated conditions. Tariffs threatened “another wave of trauma” for the region decimated by the hurricane and raised construction and rebuilding costs. The DOGE efforts also cut the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, which meant food banks in the region faced multi-million-dollar funding gaps at a time when communities needed them most.
¶ Edwards Failed Western North Carolina On Hurricane Helene Recovery And Supported Policies That Only Exacerbated The Situation
¶ smoky mountain news criticized edwards for delivering a “large nothingburger” for western north carolina on hurricane helene relief
Smoky Mountain News Criticized Edwards For Delivering Western North Carolina “A Rather Large Nothingburger” When It Came To Hurricane Helene Recovery. According to an editorial by the Smoky Mountain News, "Western North Carolina pulled into the congressional drive-thru after Hurricane Helene, placed a large order and waited. And waited. And waited. What Rep. Chuck Edwards finally handed his constituents was an empty paper bag containing a rather large nothingburger — heavy on branding, light on substance and nowhere near the $60 billion recovery order his storm-famished district actually placed. Sure, Congress served up a whopping $100 billion continuing resolution/disaster relief bill in December 2024 — Edwards claimed authorship — but for some damn reason, the meat of it wasn’t designated for Edwards’ constituents. Estimates put North Carolina’s piece of the pie at between $9 billion and $15 billion. In fast food terms, that’s like asking for a 10-piece McNuggets but only getting one. Days ago on social media, Edwards claimed he was ‘fighting for Western North Carolina’ and bragged about the $6.5 billion he says he’s dished out; not exactly a supersized Big Mac meal with large fry — more like a few stray ketchup packets, leaving people who’ve lost their livelihoods and homes asking, ‘Where’s the beef?’" [Editorial – Smoky Mountain News, 12/31/25]
Smoky Mountain News: “In The End, Edwards Has Delivered A Master Class In Empty Calories. Big Branding. Greasy Fealty. Zero Nutrition. Western North Carolina Ordered Disaster Relief And Got A Happy Meal Toy And A Few Napkins Instead.” According to an editorial by the Smoky Mountain News, "In the end, Edwards has delivered a master class in empty calories. Big branding. Greasy fealty. Zero nutrition. Western North Carolina ordered disaster relief and got a Happy Meal toy and a few napkins instead. While somebody should congratulate Edwards on his award by offering him a steaming hot beverage from the McCafe menu, technically, no one can — because coffee is for closers." [Editorial – Smoky Mountain News, 12/31/25]
¶ edwards said north carolina’s request to extend the 100 percent fema cost matching, which was denied, was “unprecedented”
HEADLINE: "FEMA Will Stop Matching 100% Of Helene Recovery Money In North Carolina" [NC Newsline, 4/12/25]
Edwards Called The Request For A 100 Percent Cost-Share Extension For 180 Days “Unprecedented.” According to Asheville Citizen Times, "In response to the denial, Edwards, in an April 11 email to the Citizen Times, described a 100% cost share extension for 180 days as ‘unprecedented.’ ‘Instead, I’m focusing on other ways I can make a tangible difference in helping the citizens of Western North Carolina recover more quickly,’ Edwards said. ‘This includes continuing to assist survivors with FEMA casework and working with the administration to find additional avenues to alleviate the financial stress our communities and the state of North Carolina are facing.’" [Asheville Citizen Times, 4/11/25]
- Local And State Officials Had Repeatedly Requested That The 100 Percent FEMA Reimbursement Rate Be Extended To Help With Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts. According to NC Newsline, "The agency’s decision means that North Carolina will lose a critical share of federal assistance in what’s expected to be a years-long rebuild process. After Helene struck in late September, the Biden administration gave the green light for FEMA to reimburse North Carolina on 100% of disaster relief assistance — particularly with debris removal and emergency protective services. The cost-share allowed state officials to plow ahead on time-sensitive needs more quickly. In December, FEMA also set the federal cost-share for all other categories of assistance at 90%. But the 100% period for debris cleanup and other services was set to end after six months. Local and state officials have requested repeatedly that it be extended — preferably another six months — in order to speed up recovery from the deadliest hurricane in state history. But the agency, now under the authority of a president who has floated the idea of dismantling it altogether, will no longer shoulder full costs for that work." [NC Newsline, 4/12/25]
- North Carolina Requested A 180-Day Extension On The 100 Percent Cost-Match For Hurricane Helene Recovery Expenses. According to Asheville Citizen Times, "The Federal Emergency Management Agency has denied North Carolina’s request for an 180-day extension on a 100% cost match for eligible Tropical Storm Helene recovery expenses, Gov. Josh Stein said in an April 11 announcement. On Sept. 29, two days after Helene ripped through Western North Carolina, then-President Joe Biden approved a federal disaster declaration for North Carolina, which made federal funding available for public assistance, hazard mitigation, and other needs assistance, with a federal cost-share of 75%. The storm caused an estimated $60 billion in damages and resulted in more than 100 deaths." [Asheville Citizen Times, 4/11/25]
¶ edwards stood by while dhs secretary kristi noem slow-walked fema funds for western north carolina
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem Mandated That All Contracts Above $100,000 Be Approved By Her, Which Threatened To Severely Delay Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts. According to CNN, "Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is tightening her grip on her department’s purse strings, ordering that every contract and grant over $100,000 must now cross her desk for approval, according to a memo exclusively obtained by CNN. The sweeping directive issued last week adds an extra layer of review for billions of dollars in funding across the Department of Homeland Security, which includes agencies such as US Customs and Border Protection, the Coast Guard, Secret Service and Federal Emergency Management Agency. […] In the chaos of a major disaster, FEMA can greenlight hundreds of payments and spend billions of dollars in just days. During Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the agency obligated roughly $7 billion in a single month, a FEMA document shows. Now, those urgent funding requests could be funneled to Noem’s office, raising fears of bureaucratic gridlock. ‘I was shocked. I’ve never seen a control like this put in place,’ said Michael Coen, who served as FEMA’s chief of staff under the Biden and Obama administrations." [CNN, 6/18/25]
¶ North Carolina Republican Senator Ted Budd Placed A Hold On All DHS Nominees In Response To Noem’s Policy That Slowed Hurricane Helene Relief
Republican Senator Ted Budd Put A Hold On All DHS Nominees In Response To FEMA Slow-Walking Billions Of Dollar’s Worth Of Aid To Help North Carolina Rebuild After Hurricane Helene. According to NOTUS, "Concerns among lawmakers continue to grow, both publicly and privately. Some members have taken their complaints to administration officials, multiple sources told NOTUS. One of the most vocal lawmakers has been Republican Sen. Ted Budd of North Carolina, who currently has a hold on all DHS nominees in response to FEMA’S slow walking of billions of dollars worth of aid to his state to help rebuild after Hurricane Helene. He placed those holds more than a month ago and has not yet lifted them. ‘I’m concerned that Western North Carolina gets the support that it needs,’ Budd told NOTUS. ‘I am in communication with the secretary and have great hopes that this will be resolved.’" [NOTUS, 10/17/25]
- North Carolina Republican Senator Ted Budd On Kristi Noem’s FEMA Bottleneck: “Pretty Much Everything Helene-Related Is Over $100,000. So They’re Stacking Up On Her Desk Waiting For Her Signature.” According to ProPublica, "Noem has been criticized for creating a bottleneck at FEMA. When the floods hit Texas this summer — ultimately killing over 100 people — it took days to deploy critical search-and-rescue teams because Noem hadn’t signed off on them, according to CNN. Budd, the Republican senator, said this month: ‘Pretty much everything Helene-related is over $100,000. So they’re stacking up on her desk waiting for her signature.’" [ProPublica, 9/26/25]
¶ Edwards Did Not Co-Sponsor Legislation Designed To Prevent The FEMA Bottleneck Created By Former DHS Secretary Noem From Happening Again
December 2025: Democratic North Carolina Rep. Deborah Ross Introduced Legislation To Prohibit Kristi Noem’s Policy Of Requiring The DHS Secretary To Personally Approval All Money Allocated By FEMA That Exceeded $100,000. According to Spectrum News, "U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross of North Carolina introduced a bill Tuesday that aims to speed the pace of federal disaster recovery money going to areas of western North Carolina damaged by Hurricane Helene. The bill would prohibit a new policy that requires the Homeland Security secretary to personally approve money allocated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that exceeds $100,000. In June, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem began requiring her personal review and approval of any contract above $100,000, including for disaster response. Prior to that policy FEMA had final approval authority, without needing submissions to be personally approved by the head of DHS. Since then, numerous concerns have been raised about the slow speed at which FEMA money has arrived to western North Carolina." [Spectrum News, 12/16/25]
No North Carolina Republican Congressmembers Signed Onto Rep Deborah Ross’ FEMA Bill, Not Even Edwards.
[H.R. 6762, FEMA Administrative Reform Act, Introduced 12/16/25]
¶ Edwards Touted Authoring A $110 Billion Relief Bill Passed By Congress In 2024, But North Carolina Was Only Expected To Receive $9-15 Billion Of The Money
Edwards Touted Authoring A $110 Billion Relief Bill Passed By Congress In December 2024, But North Carolina Was Only Expected To Receive $9-15 Billion. According to Smoky Mountain News, "Nearly a year after Hurricane Helene caused $60 billion in damage across North Carolina, most local governments still haven’t received anywhere near the amount of money they’ve been promised by the federal government, with estimates coming in at less than 10%. On the ground in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District, voters are increasingly blaming recovery czar and U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley, FEMA and Edwards (R-Henderson), for the delays. Edwards, who’s claimed authorship of the $110 billion relief bill passed by Congress last December, has never responded to inquiries by SMN about why North Carolina is expected to receive only $9-15 billion. Edwards also sits on the House appropriations committee." [Smoky Mountain News, 9/21/25]
¶ North Carolina Had Received Only A Small Percentage Of The Federal Assistance It Had Requested To Help With Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts
Smoky Mountain News: “Under Edwards, Less Than 15% Of The $60 Billion Needed For Full Recovery Has Been Delivered In The 17 Months Since Hurricane Helene, Despite Edwards’ Position On The House Appropriations Committee." According to Smoky Mountain News, "Under Edwards, less than 15% of the $60 billion needed for full recovery has been delivered in the 17 months since Hurricane Helene, despite Edwards’ position on the House appropriations committee." [Smoky Mountain News, 3/3/26]
- As Of January 2026, The Federal Government Had Provided North Carolina With $7 Billion In Disaster Funding Related To. Hurricane Helene Recovery. According to ABC 11, "Gov. Josh Stein led a delegation on Wednesday to Washington, D.C., to request additional federal support for Hurricane Helene relief. ‘What we're doing is advocating for what North Carolinians need from the federal government to recover from Hurricane Helene. The governor has put forward a package of $13.5 billion that is necessary to build on what the federal government has already provided, build on what the state legislature has provided in state funds so that we can continue to build homes, we can continue to rebuild infrastructure and revitalize the economy that was so hard hit by Hurricane Helene,’ said Matt Calabria, Director for the Governor's Recovery Office for Western North Carolina. The $13.5 billion request includes: $1.77 billion for the USDOT, primarily to keep repairing North Carolina's roads. $8.37 billion from HUD, primarily to support more homeowners in repairing and rebuilding their homes. $1.99 billion from FEMA, primarily in forgivable loans to help local governments stay afloat as recovery continues to strain their finances. $540 million from the EPA, primarily to restore water infrastructure systems. The state estimates Hurricane Helene caused about $60 billion in damages; thus far, the federal government has provided $7 billion in funding." [ABC 11, 1/15/26]
- North Carolina Had Requested $28 Billion In Assistance From The Federal Government For Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts. According to the Asheville Citizen Times, "As of June 30, North Carolina had been awarded just $4.71 billion in federal funding, according to a recent quarterly report from the Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina, or GROW NC. The figure is about 8% of the nearly $60 billion the state is projecting for the recovery effort, well short of the more than $28 billion North Carolina has requested from the federal government." [Asheville Citizen Times, 8/21/25]
¶ Under The Trump Administration FEMA Recovery Funds Were Severely Delayed To Western North Carolina
HEADLINE: "Helene Recovery Faces Delays As $60B Of Damage Outpaces Aid" [Carolina Journal, 4/2/26]
August 2025: Nearly A Year After Hurricane Helene, FEMA Finally Released Millions Of Dollars In Delayed Recovery Funding For Western North Carolina. According to the Asheville Citizen Times, "Nearly a year after Tropical Storm Helene devastated parts of Western North Carolina last September, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is releasing millions of dollars in delayed long-awaited recovery funding, Gov. Josh Stein announced Aug. 19. The move follows an Aug. 15 letter Stein sent to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem detailing $187 million in approved public assistance grants awaiting Noem’s final approval. The Department of Homeland Security oversees FEMA. ‘For many of these projects, local governments have already expended funds for critical expenses related to Hurricane Helene and need reimbursement to maintain normal government operations,’ Stein wrote. ‘Releasing these funds would make strides toward providing financial certainty to communities that will continue to need significant support to rebuild.’" [Asheville Citizen Times, 8/21/25]
¶ Local Governments In Western North Carolina Were Facing Budget Shortfalls As A Result Of Delayed Federal Recovery Funding
Nearly A Year After Hurricane Helene, North Carolina Local Government Had Still Not Received Anywhere Near The Amount Of Money They Had Been Promised By The Federal Government For Recovery Efforts. According to Smoky Mountain News, "Nearly a year after Hurricane Helene caused $60 billion in damage across North Carolina, most local governments still haven’t received anywhere near the amount of money they’ve been promised by the federal government, with estimates coming in at less than 10%. On the ground in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District, voters are increasingly blaming recovery czar and U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley, FEMA and Edwards (R-Henderson), for the delays." [Smoky Mountain News, 9/21/25]
As Of March 2026, Haywood County Had Only Received $1.58 Million Of The $19.2 Million In Submitted FEMA Projects, Forcing The County To Build A Budget Around Uncertainty And Delay. According to Smoky Mountain News, "Failures in the federal response to Hurricane Helene are still rippling into Haywood County’s bottom line, forcing the county — like most of its municipalities — to build a budget around uncertainty and delay rather than recovery. County Manager Bryant Morehead’s March 16 presentation made clear that millions in storm-related costs remain unreimbursed, leaving the county to carry the financial burden 18 months after the disaster. Of roughly $19.2 million in submitted FEMA projects, only about $1.58 million has been received, with more than $17.7 million still outstanding, per Morehead. Much of it remains tied up in pending reviews or federal processing delays. Helene struck near the beginning of the 2024-25 fiscal year budget. When commissioners passed the first post-Helene budget, effective July 1, 2025, they originally planned to use $10.9 million in fund balance. But that wouldn’t be the end of it — the county ended up having to come out-of-pocket for twice that amount." [Smoky Mountain News, 3/17/26]
Waynesville Confronted A $5.4 Million Budget Deficit, With Nearly $4 Million Of It Tied Up In Lagging FEMA Reimbursements From Hurricane Helene. According to Smoky Mountain News, "Crumbling promises and frozen FEMA reimbursements cast a long shadow over Waynesville’s budget retreat, where town officials confronted a stark reality — a $5.4 million deficit for the coming fiscal year, nearly $4 million of it tied up in lagging FEMA reimbursements from Hurricane Helene. With insurance costs climbing, mandated retirement contributions rising and capital requests topping $20 million, Waynesville Town Council will now face what one member called ‘the worst ever’ budget picture in recent memory. For all the alarm in the room, Waynesville’s current fiscal strain did not emerge overnight. The town’s budget over the past six years tells a story of pandemic shocks, tourism rebounds, aggressive pay adjustments, rising insurance costs and, ultimately, a natural disaster that upended even cautious financial planning." [Smoky Mountain News, 3/4/26]
¶ edwards supported tariffs even as they threatened to make rebuilding efforts in western north carolina more expensive
¶ Tariffs Made Construction Costs Rise
HEADLINE: "Chuck Edwards Backs Tariffs As Western NC Struggles To Rebuild" [American Journal News, 2/20/26]
ABC 13: “The Threat Of Tariffs Are Another Wave Of Trauma In What Hurricane Helene Swept Away. A Tariff Is A Tax On An Imported Good. From The Lumber To Truss Plates, There’s Plenty To Get Nailed With Taxes." According to ABC 13, "Scroggs Construction Services has 45 ongoing Helene restorations. With more than 11,500 homes and businesses in Buncombe County alone damaged or destroyed, builders want homeowners to measure expectations. ‘I think the biggest challenge is wrestling with the insurance companies to prove that the prices of things that we’re doing are what they actually are,’ said Nick. The hefty price tags are elevated by several factors, including limited supplies and the pandemic. ‘When we had those extreme price hikes, we haven’t seen a return to pre-Covid pricing models since then, and the Hurricane only exacerbates things like that as well,’ said Scroggs. The threat of tariffs are another wave of trauma in what Hurricane Helene swept away. A tariff is a tax on an imported good. From the lumber to truss plates, there’s plenty to get nailed with taxes." [ABC 13, 5/14/25]
More Than 11,500 Homes And Businesses In Buncombe County Were Damaged Or Destroyed As A Result Of Hurricane Helene. According to ABC 13, "More than seven months after Helene, thousands in Western North Carolina remain out of their homes. Completing the restoration may cost them more the longer they may be forced to wait for permanent repairs. News 13 looks at how construction costs have increased and explains why builders are uncomfortable with the outlook and the steps they’re taking to mitigate costly repairs. […] Scroggs Construction Services has 45 ongoing Helene restorations. With more than 11,500 homes and businesses in Buncombe County alone damaged or destroyed, builders want homeowners to measure expectations." [ABC 13, 5/14/25]
Brookings Institution Found That Tariffs Raised Costs On Construction And Renovations Across The Board. According to the Brookings Institution, "The U.S. faces a housing shortage measured in the millions of units, and families are struggling with historically high rents and home prices. The Trump administration has expressed a goal to reduce the cost of living and make housing more affordable, and may declare a national housing emergency. But it is also imposing new or elevated tariffs on lumber, gypsum, steel, and now, kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, and other related products, the very materials that builders need to construct new homes. These taxes raise costs across the board—whether for new construction, renovations, or affordable housing development. Using TPC’s tariff model, we calculated that current tariffs, including those just announced, will add roughly $30 billion to the costs of investment in residential structures. Our calculations show that about 90% of the costs to residential investment will fall on construction of new homes, including apartments." [Brookings Institution, 10/3/25]
¶ edwards supported doge even when its funding cuts hurt food banks trying to serve western north carolina in the aftermath of hurricane helene
¶ Edwards Defended DOGE And Claimed It Was “Looking For Efficiencies”
Edwards Supported DOGE And Its Cuts. According to a town hall held by Rep. Chuck Edwards, “EDWARDS: "However, it is an unavoidable reality that all departments and agencies under the federal government need to run more efficiently. And I support current efforts to identify those opportunities for making the taxpayers dollars go farther." [Congressman Chuck Edwards Town Hall, 3/13/25] (video)
Edwards Defended DOGE And Claimed It Was “Going Through The Federal Agencies, One At A Time, Looking For Efficiencies.” According to the Biltmore Beacon, "Edwards said DOGE must take its cue from Congress, citing Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution — which stipulates all revenue and spending measures must originate in the House of Representatives. ‘There’s no question Elon Musk has gotten a bit ahead of Congress,’ Edwards said. However, that will all be sorted out as the process unfolds going forward, Edwards said. ‘What the DOGE committee is doing is going through the federal agencies, one at a time, looking for efficiencies,’ Edwards said. In the process, some funding allocated by Congress has been suspended ‘until we better understand if it is being spent as Congress intended,’ Edwards said. Some of the DOGE actions aren’t recommendations at all, but include firing federal employees, revoking grant funds or not spending funds on departments or programs authorized by Congress.” [Biltmore Beacon, 3/12/25]
¶ Food Banks In Western North Carolina Struggled As DOGE Cut Funding
HEADLINE: "Western NC Food Banks, Pantries In Helene-Ravaged Communities See Federal Funding Cuts" [Charlotte Observer, 3/19/25]
DOGE Cut The Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, Which Helped Food Banks Buy Directly From Locally-Owned Farms To Secure Food For Western North Carolina Families In Need. According to the Charlotte Observer, "Western North Carolina food banks hope their communities and elected officials start speaking up. Still reeling from Helene, the federal government’s Local Food Purchase Assistance program helped knit together the local supply chain, food bank leaders say. The food banks bought directly from locally owned farms to secure healthy produce, dairy and meat for families in need. But the U.S. Department of Agriculture told states in early March it canceled the LFPA, Politico reported. The cuts will affect schools too, with the USDA also cutting hundreds of millions from a similar program." [Charlotte Observer, 3/19/25]
MANNA Foodbank And Second Harvest Food Bank Of Northwest NC Said They Faced A Multi-Million Dollar Funding Gap As They Tried To Serve Communities Still Suffering From The Impacts Of Hurricane Helene. According to the Charlotte Observer, "Now, MANNA FoodBank and Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC say they’re facing a multi-million dollar funding gap as they work to serve communities still recovering from the September tropical storm that caused widespread devastation. ‘Losing this support is devastating, not merely because of the financial setback, but because it directly affects an essential lifeline connecting agriculture, regional economic well-being, and the health of WNC families,’ MANNA CEO Claire Neal said in a statement." [Charlotte Observer, 3/19/25]
- MANNA Said It Had Expected To Receive $11.4 Million Through The Local Food Purchase Assistance Program Before DOGE Cuts Came Down. According to the Charlotte Observer, "North Carolina was poised to receive more than $11.4 million in funding through the LFPA program, according to MANNA’s statement. The Asheville-based group, which serves 16 counties in Western North Carolina, received about $1.3 million through the program last year. That money allowed the group ‘to source healthy food options from over 66 local farms within a 400-mile radius.’ Now, it’s navigating the program’s termination." [Charlotte Observer, 3/19/25]
- Second Harvest Food Bank Of Northwest NC Faced A $2 Million Funding Gap As A Result Of DOGE Cuts. According to the Charlotte Observer, "Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC faces a $2 million funding gap, spokeswoman Jenny Moore told The Charlotte Observer. The LFPA funding provided people with chronic health conditions healthy, locally sourced food. Both organizations said the program was a ‘win-win-win’ for the food banks, families in need of food assistance and independent local farmers in need of business." [Charlotte Observer, 3/19/25]
¶ edwards’ republican primary opponent criticized him for failing to deliver on hurricane helene relief
Edwards’ Republican Primary Opponent Criticized Edwards For Failing To Deliver On Hurricane Helene Aid. According to Smoky Mountain News, "In Smith’s telling, Edwards’ most consequential failure has come in disaster recovery. He faults Edwards for claiming credit he believes belongs to residents and volunteers, and for championing reforms only after outside pressure mounted. Under Edwards, less than 15% of the $60 billion needed for full recovery has been delivered in the 16 months after Hurricane Helene, despite Edwards’ position on the House appropriations committee." [Smoky Mountain News, 2/10/26]