Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) is calling on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to call an emergency special session to pass supplemental disaster relief to states dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. 

Scott said he has been traveling across his home state of Florida, one of the southeastern states hit directly by the storm, to survey damage while the Federal Emergency Management Agency completes its damage assessments. Once those are finished, Scott said the Senate should “immediately reconvene” to pass supplemental spending and other disaster relief legislation. 

“Floridians are resilient, but the response and recovery from this storm demands the full and immediate support of government at every level to get families and businesses back to normal,” Scott said in a statement. “While we wait for this critical information, I will keep fighting to make sure that FEMA, the SBA, and the entire federal government are working in total collaboration with state and local officials so we continue to get resources and aid deployed quickly.”

Scott’s comments came after President Joe Biden suggested Monday that he “may have to request” Congress to return to pass some sort of disaster relief legislation. However, the president said a final decision had not been made. 

It’s not clear whether Biden will formally request a return or if congressional leaders are in talks to do so. The Washington Examiner contacted both House and Senate leadership offices for comment. 

Lawmakers left town last week and are not expected to return until after the election on Nov. 12. Congress adjourned after passing its three-month stopgap spending bill to extend government funding until later this year. Notably, the bill did not include any disaster relief because of the short time frame, with House GOP leaders noting that funding will be finalized in the December legislation.

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Helene made landfall as a Category 4 Hurricane in Florida’s Big Bend around 11:10 p.m. on Thursday, becoming the largest storm to ever hit the region. Hours later, Helene weakened to a tropical storm with sustained winds falling to 70 mph.

Since making landfall, Helene has caused hundreds of flash flood warnings in Florida and in regions of South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia. At least 100 people have been killed.