Face The Nation: Kathy Hochul interview

Press Release

Good morning.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Well, that's exactly what we're doing right now, Margaret, is asking the local counties and the boroughs that were affected to add up the amount of money.

It has to hit a certain threshold in order to be eligible for FEMA reimbursement. And that's another whole topic about how, with these all- too-frequent 100-year storms -- and, indeed, we had a 1,000-year storm event just a couple of months ago.

We need to reassess how we reimburse states and homeowners after these cataclysmic weather events. And so we're doing the assessment right now. That'll take place over the next couple of weeks.

But we got through the worst. But, in my position, having issued nine weather-related emergency declarations in the two years I have been governor, we have to be ready for this to happen again even in another week from now. So, that is -- that is the new world we're in.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Well, we need help to help build up our resiliency, help the business owners that had to shut down, help reimburse localities for the overtime and the extra resources they had to expand with emergency teams on the ground.

We had 28 rescues from our swift-water rescue teams. And all that should be reimbursable from the federal government. So, we have our list. But, again, for the Republicans in Congress to even toy with the fact and hold over our heads there might not be flood insurance or disaster assistance up until the final hour, that's unconscionable.

And it's tone-deaf to what states like New York and many others are going through in this new area -- era of climate change, where the unknown is becoming the norm here.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Well, we're not the only vulnerable part of our country.

Look at low-lying areas of Florida and other states that are just being pummeled with hurricanes. And so, no, all of our states are going to need some level of greater assistance. And for, again, Congress to even question whether they'll do the basics for us, and hold our -- hold us hostage, wondering if we're going to be able to get this essential relief for our homeowners and our businesses, that's just wrong.

So, yes, we need a full assessment of communities like New York City. One of our challenges in New York City and why the flooding is so -- you know, so devastating and floods into our subways and -- and homes is that the New York City sewer system was built over 100 years ago with a capacity of 1.75 inches per hour.

We shattered that record just a couple of days ago. We had double that. So the volume of water needs a place to go. So, we need massive infrastructure dollars.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

And I thank President Biden for helping send money to states like New York to help us build up that resiliency. But it's going to be a long process.

In the meantime, we're always having to prepare for the next disaster.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Well, shame on Speaker McCarthy and the Republicans in Congress, including the nine from New York state who are complaining like crazy about the migrants, but refuse to work with President Biden and come up with a sensible border strategy.

It can be done. This can be done in a bipartisan way, comprehensive immigration reform, whether it's quotas, certain numbers…

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Well, we want them to have a limit on who can come across the border. It is too open right now.

People coming from all over the world are finding their way through, simply saying they need asylum, and the majority of them seem to be ending up in the streets of New York. And that is a real problem for New York City, 125,000 newly arrived individuals. And we are being taxed. Now, we are always so proud of the fact that New York has the Statue of Liberty in our harbor -- harbor. We are one of the most diverse places on Earth because of our welcoming nature and our -- it's in our DNA to welcome immigrants.

But there has to be some limits in place. And Congress has to put more controls at the border, and not in this budget threat…

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

shutdown threat talk about eliminating positions for Border Patrol, while we actually need to double or quadruple those numbers.

So, get back to work and do your jobs.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source