GAO says FEMA violated law by blocking crucial assistance money

"GAO said FEMA illegally withheld funding for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program and the Shelter and Services Program (SSP). Both initiatives provide aid to people in crisis including migrants and disaster survivors. The totality of the facts and circumstances here therefore establish the intent to impermissibly defer or preclude the obligation of budget authority for the SSP program, GAO wrote. The ruling comes after the Department of Homeland Security which oversees FEMA reportedly failed to respond"

"GAO said it relied on court records, testimony and public spending data to reach its conclusion. Not all programs were affected. GAO found no violations in several other FEMA grant programs, including those supporting homeland security, firefighter staffing and disaster preparedness. The GAO emphasized that it was not weighing in on the policies behind the funding decisions, only whether FEMA followed the law."

GAO ruled that FEMA illegally withheld funding for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program and the Shelter and Services Program (SSP), finding intent to impermissibly defer or preclude obligation of budget authority for SSP. Both programs provide aid to people in crisis, including migrants and disaster survivors. The ruling followed a reported lack of response from the Department of Homeland Security to GAO information requests. GAO relied on court records, testimony, and public spending data. GAO found no violations in several other FEMA grant programs and stated it assessed only legal compliance, not policy. GAO will issue further rulings, and some unspent funds may expire by fiscal year end.

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