"The agency’s acting head faced questioning by lawmakers over canceled grants, plans to limit relief and a projected $8 billion disaster fund deficit."
"With the Atlantic hurricane season only weeks away, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is facing an unprecedented level of turmoil and uncertainty. President Donald Trump has suggested he might eliminate the agency. Its staff has been cut and programs canceled, while its disaster relief fund faces a likely $8 billion deficit.
On Wednesday the agency’s acting administrator faced a barrage of questioning from Democrats in Congress, and some more friendly nudges from Republicans, over whether his agency is prepared to protect Americans from a range of disasters that are expected to hit the nation.
Cameron Hamilton, the senior official performing the duties of the FEMA administrator—Trump has yet to nominate anyone to head the agency—told the House Committee on Appropriations’ Homeland Security subcommittee that FEMA was established to support in “truly catastrophic disasters. Yet at times,” Hamilton added, “we have strayed far from that core mission and evolved into an overextended federal bureaucracy attempting to manage every type of emergency, no matter how minor.”
Pressed on whether there are plans to eliminate FEMA, Hamilton said he thought doing so was not “in the best interest of the American people,” but added that ultimately it was not his decision. That would be up to the president, he said, in conversation with “this governing body.”"
Nicholas Kusnetz reports for Inside Climate News May 7, 2025.
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