Protect FEMA from Elimination

The Trump administration has declared its intention of “wean[ing] off of FEMA”, the Federal Emergency Management Agency responsible for coordinating the federal response to major calamities. Despite increasingly frequent, catastrophic climate disasters in need to rapid response government assistance, Trump plans to shift the financial burden of disaster recovery to individual states, many of which cannot generate the funds needed for full recoveries from consecutive emergencies on their own.

Along with cuts to FEMA’s funding, the administration is also neglecting to maintain adequate functionality of the agency. Around one-third of FEMA’s permanent workforce have resigned or been terminated. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, whose department oversees FEMA, instituted a policy that all disaster recovery spending over $100,000 must be personally approved by her, a decision that FEMA officials have criticized as something that would drastically slow emergency response. And Trump’s appointee to serve as acting head of FEMA, David Richardson, who claimed to be unaware that the US has a hurricane season, has been notably absent from the relief efforts following the fatal floods in Texas.

FEMA’s slow response in Texas has left leaders of other less prepared and funded states concerned about how they will be able to respond to natural disasters, as “FEMA is not going to be able to meet the expectations of the American people.” Demand that your representatives restore FEMA funding and staffing and prevent the elimination of this life-saving agency.