FEMA workers warn of devastating consequences if Trump admin. cuts go ahead
Washington DC - Workers at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) signed a letter to Congress on Monday warning that President Donald Trump's cuts will have devastating consequences.
More than 180 current and former FEMA employees signed the letter, in many cases anonymously, and warned that the Trump administration has undone progress that was made in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The letter's title harkens back to the 2005 disaster, as it is titled the "Katrina Declaration," and specifically targets Trump as well as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees FEMA.
"Hurricane Katrina was not just a natural disaster, but a man-made one," the letter warns.
"The inexperience of senior leaders and the profound failure by the federal government to deliver timely, unified, and effective aid to those in need left survivors to fend for themselves for days."
In 2006, the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act (PKEMRA) introduced safeguards to ensure that the mistakes of Katrina, which saw thousands without help for days, would never be repeated.
These reforms, and many of the critical roles that FEMA plays, are being undermined by the Trump administration, the letter claims.
"Our shared commitment to our country, our oaths of office, and our mission of helping people before, during, and after disasters compel us to warn Congress and the American people of the cascading effects of decisions made by the current administration."
Trump in June indicated that he plans to phase out and eventually eliminate FEMA after the 2025 hurricane season, arguing that disaster relief efforts should be handled by state governors.
"We want to wean off of FEMA, and we want to bring it down to the state level," Trump said." A governor should be able to handle it, and frankly, if they can’t handle it, the aftermath, then maybe they shouldn't be governor."
Cover photo: IMAGO/ZUMA Press Wire