‘They don’t know what the F they’re doing’: Dem Rep on FEMA response

FEMA Performance & Leadership Concerns - FEMA is cutting grants that give states money to build capacity while simultaneously telling them they need to build more capacity [1] - FEMA has paused grants of $10 billion for previously approved disasters [1] - FEMA cut 20% of the workforce, centralizing decision-making under Christine Gnome [1] - The new FEMA administrator has zero emergency management experience and requires Christine Gnome's approval for all actions [1] - Swiftwater rescue crews were delayed for 72 hours due to Christine Gnome's lack of approval, potentially causing additional deaths in Texas [1] - The regional administrator position in Florida (Region 4) is vacant, and regional offices are 20-30% empty due to forced departures [6][7] FEMA's Role & Potential Reforms - FEMA is congressionally mandated and essential for states to avoid bankruptcy after disasters [1] - Industry experts have long recognized the need for FEMA reform [1] - A bipartisan bill exists to remove FEMA from Homeland Security to improve speed and efficiency [1] - Additional reforms, such as block grants, could further improve FEMA [1]