New York, New York – As New York continues to suffer the aftermath of record flooding and destruction from Tropical Storm Ida, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to Instagram to update constituents on immediate assistance programs and push for greater federal infrastructure investment.

On Monday morning, Biden approved New York Governor Kathy Hochul's request for a major disaster declaration, which enables the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide relief to individuals, businesses, schools, non-profits, and more, according to a FEMA press release.

The federal aid is available for damage done in Bronx, Kings, Queens, Richmond, and Westchester counties during the period from September 1 to 3.

Soon after the announcement was made, New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to social media to encourage her constituents to apply for the funding. The Bronx, specifically, suffered widespread water damage and numerous deaths from Ida's flooding.

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In an Instagram video, AOC laid out the details of the program, saying it will include grants of up to $34,000 for individual homeowners and renters, as well as assistance for small businesses.

The congresswoman encouraged eligible New Yorkers to apply as soon as they can to make sure they are safe before temperatures drop.

She also urged anyone who was exposed to dangerous floodwaters to seek medical attention immediately.

AOC then turned to broader changes needed to protect against future climate-related crises, calling for greater federal investment in infrastructure.

"We do not have that level of federal resources that are allocated or invested to the degree that we need them, and we're only going to need more as time goes on because of the ravages of climate change," she said.

"Year after year, it has become politically acceptable for us to just raise the defense budget over and over and over again without thinking about it, right? It's bipartisan. It's like 'controversial' if you don't think the defense budget should just go up year after year on an unlimited basis."

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"Why doesn't our FEMA budget go up year after year to that same degree? Why aren't we funding climate mitigation?" she questioned. "Climate change has been determined as a national security threat as well, and we don't treat it that way."

"I do want to thank the Biden administration for swiftly authorizing a major disaster declaration, but we've also got to stop this addiction to fossil fuels because it's fueling disasters like these," AOC said, referencing the fact that she was actually scheduled to be in Minnesota with other members of the Squad protesting the construction of the Line 3 pipeline.

The same day the Biden administration announced the major disaster declaration, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell traveled to New York City, where she met with AOC, as well as New York Senator Chuck Schumer and NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio.

President Biden is also scheduled to visit New York and New Jersey on Tuesday to survey the damage from Ida.