Biden plans to visit Texas, ask FEMA to accelerate major disaster declaration

KEY POINTS

• President Joe Biden plans to visit Texas next week as millions of residents there continue struggling with power outages after a major winter storm.
• Biden also said he is going to ask the top federal emergency response official to speed up a request for a declaration of a major disaster in Texas.
• The president said he had planned on traveling to Texas in the middle of next week, but cautioned that "I don't want to be a burden."

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks as he takes part in a Munich Security Conference virtual event from the East Room at the White House in Washington, February 19, 2021.

Kevin Lamarque | Reuters

President Joe Biden said Friday that he plans to visit Texas next week as millions of residents there continue struggling with power outages after a major winter storm.

Biden also said he will ask the administration of the Federal Emergent Management Agency to accelerate a request for a declaration of a major disaster in Texas, which would free up federal funds to aid in relief efforts there.

"As I said when I ran, I'm going to be a president for all Americans," said Biden, who was defeated last fall in Texas' presidential election by then-President Donald Trump.

"I'm, going to sign [that] declaration once that's in front of me" which "God-willing will bring relief to a lot of Texans," the president said.

Biden said he had planned on traveling to Texas in the middle of next week, but cautioned that "I don't want to be a burden."

He said that "if I can do it without creating a burden for folks, I plan on going."

"I'll make that decision beginning of next week," Biden said.