A group of officials of the current and former federal emergency management agency warned the Congress on Monday that changes in the Trump administration’s disaster relief agency may reverse the decades of the reforms after Storm Katrina.
The open letter was released as America this week after 20 years of Katrina’s 2005 landfall. The worst natural disasters In American history, with more than 1,800 deaths and more than $ 200 billion losses in today’s dollar.
In the letter the Trump administration argues – who has dramatically sought to shrink FEMA and floats to scrap the agency completely – he has decided that “interruptions to the sharp execution of our mission.” It states that “like Hurricane Katrina, not only a change is necessary to prevent another national devastation, but will represent such an incident to the effective dissolution of FEMA and the abandonment of American people.”
Produced by AdvocC Group Stand Up for Science, “Katrina Declaration” says it has 181 signators. Only 35 people signed their names on the letter, with the rest for oblivion “due to the” fear of the cultivated fear and repression “for oblivion.
It has been addressed to many Congress Committees and FEMA Review Council, which was Constituted by President Trump earlier this year.
The announcement alleged that Mr. Trump has led the “lack of appropriate qualifications” to lead FEMA, and the Trump administration to cut FEMA employees.
Since January 2025, FEMA has been led by legal qualifications, Senate approval and a lack of backgrounds required for a FEMA administrator, “reads the open letter.
It also tells FEMA to end the grant to help the state and local governments prepare its infrastructure to face natural disasters and extreme weather. Earlier this year, the CBS news investigation has received two-thirds of the two-thirds of the grant for Mr. Trump on former Vice President Kamla Harris. A federal judge Blocked cut Earlier this month building flexible infrastructure and community, or Bric, program.
In response to the letter, FEMA acting press secretary Daniel Largas said the Homeland Security Department “is committed to ensuring FEMA for American people.” He said that the agency has been “dropped from red tape, disability and chronic processes,” and the Trump administration has so far defended to deal with natural disasters so far this year.
“The Trump administration has created accountability and improved a priority so that the taxpayers really reach the people and communities that they are to help,” Largu said. “It is not surprising that some equal bureaucrats presiding over decades inability are now objecting to reforms. Change is always difficult. It is especially for people invested in the status quo. But our obligation is for the remaining people, not to protect broken systems.”
FEMA has faced the upheaval of months since he returned to Mr. Trump’s office.
A few days after his inauguration, President Ongoing Either “getting rid of FEMA” or “fundamentally improving and overhaling” agency, casting it as excessive bureaucracy and arguing that state and local governments should play a major role in management of natural disasters. In June, Mr. Trump Said He is telling “vein” from the fame.
White House has proposed FEMA budget cutting For non-Apada grant by $ 646 million in the next financial year. The Trump Administration is asking the Congress to approve the budget of $ 36.2 billion for FEMA, which is more than $ 33.1 billion in the financial year 2025 budget.
So far this year, FEMA has lost About one-third employee Through firing and combination of bayouts, and administration has Repair CBS News has previously reported the contract renewal system, CBS News for more than two-thirds of CBS News.
The agency had two acting leaders since Mr. Trump returned to the post. Christopher Hamilton led the agency till May, when he It was removed after saying that he did not support Eliminating FEMA. His successor, David Richardson, Introduced yourself to employees CBS News reported that during an all-hands meeting, warning them, “Don’t go in my way,” and suggests that he would “run the people properly” people believe that they are ending the President’s agenda.
The leadership of the Atlantic storm changed the leadership before the beginning of June 1. One Review from May Found that the agency was “not ready” for the storm season.
