Nearly 200 current and former FEMA employees warned that cuts and personnel changes threaten federal disaster response and could cause a catastrophe like Hurricane Katrina. Thirty-five named and 146 unnamed signatories asserted that leaders including DHS secretary Kristi Noem and acting FEMA director David Richardson lack qualifications to manage disasters. Signatories cited Noem's requirement to review contracts and grants over $100,000, reassignments of FEMA staff to ICE, failure to appoint a qualified administrator, and cuts to mitigation, training and workforce. Signatories pointed to chaotic Texas flooding with at least 135 deaths as evidence.
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, the letter notes. A condition recently instituted by Noem, requiring that her office personally review and approve all all contracts and grants over $100,000, reduces FEMA's authorities and capabilities to swiftly deliver our mission, the letter states.
It also critiques a DHS decision to reassign some FEMA employees to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the failure to appoint a qualified FEMA administrator as stipulated by law, and cuts to mitigation programmes, preparedness training and the agency's workforce. About 140 staff members at the Environmental Protection Agency were placed on administrative leave last month for signing a similar statement.
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