Speaker Hall announces Helene recovery committee

Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, the newly elected Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, has announced the formation of the Select Committee on Hurricane Helene Recovery. 

“Hurricane Helene caused widespread devastation across North Carolina, and it’s our duty to ensure impacted communities have the resources they need to rebuild stronger than before,” Hall said in a press release. 

To my neighbors in the mountains: you will not be forgotten, and we will see the work of recovery through to the very end. The North Carolina House is getting to work immediately. #ncpol #HurricaneHelene https://t.co/uYn0SuW4qI

— Speaker Destin Hall (@ncspeakerhall) January 10, 2025

This bipartisan committee has 44 members appointed by Hall and is established under the Rules of the House of Representatives of the 2025 General Assembly.  The committee will assess recovery efforts, identify resource gaps, and ensure state and federal assistance is delivered to those who need it. Committee members will work with local leaders, emergency management officials, and nonprofit organizations to support recovery and rebuilding efforts. 

Rep. John Bell, R-Wayne, and Rep. Dudley Greene, R-Avery, are co-chairs of the committee. Rep. Jennifer Balkcom, R-Henderson, Rep. Mike Clampitt, R-Swain, Rep. Karl Gillespie, R-Macon, Rep. Jake Johnson, R-Polk, Rep. Ray Pickett, R-Watauga, and Rep. Mark Pless, R-Haywood, have been appointed Vice Chairs.

“We are fully committed to Western North Carolina and will see this recovery through to the very end, and this committee will play a vital role in providing the oversight and leadership needed to ensure a strong and lasting recovery,” continued Hall. 

The committee will begin work immediately and provide regular updates and recommendations to the General Assembly. Yet another appropriations bill is expected to be announced shortly. The General Assembly has already passed three separate rounds of disaster relief funding, with more than $1 billion in state tax dollars appropriated for disaster relief and recovery. 

The remaining committee members, appointed by Hall, and the rules for the committee are outlined here. The committee will dissolve on May 1, or at any time, by the Speaker. 

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