WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will travel to Houston on Friday to meet with local officials following the winter storms that killed more than 35 people and left millions without power and water.
While in Texas, the president will “discuss the winter storm relief efforts, progress toward recovery and the incredible resilience shown by the people of Houston and Texas,” said press secretary Jen Psaki.
While power has been restored for most Texas residents, more than 9 million remain without water. The federal government has delivered 9 million liters of water and assisted with more than 200 water distribution sites, Psaki said.
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Biden will also visit a vaccine distribution center during the visit. Vaccine administration ground to a halt in many parts of Texas during the storms and the White House has said it is working with the state to get through the backlog of vaccinations.
Biden declared a major disaster for much of Texas over the weekend making federal funding available to communities across the state, including hard-hit Harris County, where Houston is located.
Biden had said Friday that he would visit Texas soon, but didn’t “want to be a burden” as the region focused on disaster recovery.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
