"The decision came in response to a lawsuit filed by 20 states, the majority led by Democrats. Stearns said the administration's action amounted to an unlawful executive encroachment on the prerogative of Congress to appropriate funds for a specific and compelling purpose. The BRIC program is designed to protect against natural disasters and save lives, Stearns wrote, adding that the imminence of disasters is not deterred by bureaucratic obstruction."
"Stearns had previously blocked FEMA from diverting more than $4bn allocated to BRIC to other purposes. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell was among the plaintiffs praising the decision. Today's court order will undoubtedly save lives by preventing the federal government from terminating funding that helps communities prepare for and mitigate the impacts of natural disasters, she said in a statement."
US District Judge Richard Stearns ruled that the administration lacked authority to end the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant programme, calling the action an unlawful executive encroachment on Congress's appropriation powers. Twenty states brought the legal challenge, and Stearns previously blocked FEMA from diverting more than $4bn allocated to BRIC. BRIC is FEMA's largest resiliency programme, designed to reduce disaster-related risks, support faster recovery and save lives. FEMA approved about $4.5bn in grants for nearly 2,000 projects, primarily in coastal states, over the last four years. State officials said preserving BRIC funding will help communities prepare for increasing extreme weather.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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