Biden issues disaster declaration for Texas amid deep freeze

Declaration unlocks federal funding and aid for Texas, where winter storm has left millions without power and water.

United States President Joe Biden has issued a disaster declaration for the state of Texas, where a major winter storm has left millions without power and water. In a statement on Saturday morning, the White House said Biden declared “a major disaster exists” in the US state and authorised federal funding and other forms of assistance to aid state and local authorities. “Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster,” the White House statement reads.