Pinehurst Today

U.S. Representative Richard Hudson and Senator Thom Tillis, both Republicans from North Carolina, have taken the lead in a collective effort by the state's Republican Congressional Delegation to address recovery needs following Hurricane Helene. They have directed a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, urging them to operationalize the Greensboro Influx Care Facility (ICF) for supporting Western North Carolina's recovery efforts.

The letter, also signed by Senator Ted Budd and Representatives Chuck Edwards, David Rouzer, Dan Bishop, Virginia Foxx, Greg Murphy, and Patrick McHenry—all Republicans from North Carolina—highlights the potential role of the facility in aiding those affected by the hurricane.

"As you may know," wrote the lawmakers, "Health and Human Services (HHS) currently operates GCC as an Influx Care Facility (ICF) meant to house and support unaccompanied alien children (UAC) in the case of an emergency. However, in June 2024, HHS’s Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) at the Administration for Children & Families (ACF) announced that GCC has 'ramped down its operations to facility upkeep.'"

They emphasized their belief that "it could be incredibly useful in supporting the people of western North Carolina as the region recovers from Hurricane Helene." The lawmakers suggested that "GCC could be used to temporarily house those displaced by the storm or to serve as a staging area for aid workers stationed in the state."

Expressing gratitude for existing efforts by HHS and FEMA but urging further action, they concluded: "Our delegation is grateful for the work that has been done by your agencies so far to assist the people of North Carolina. However much more can and should be done to expediently aid those whose lives have been upended by this storm. We believe operationalizing GCC for purposes of aid and recovery is an effective way to do so."

The full letter is available for public reading.