Before I speak to what occurred during the July 4th flood, I want to directly address the questions about my whereabouts that night. I had already requested and been approved for personal time off on July the 3 to fulfill a commitment to my elderly father. However, due to my progressing illness, I remained home to recover.I stayed in bed throughout July the 3 and did not participate in the regularly scheduled 10:00 a. m. and 3:00 p.m. Texas Emergency Management Coordination Center coordination calls. These ...

Texas county's emergency management coordinator was likely asleep in critical morning hours of deadly floods, sheriff says. https://t.co/ZbHuRNr4pY ...

Disaster Overview - At least 129 people are confirmed dead across six counties in central Texas due to severe flooding, with 166 still missing [1] - The flooding is described as the deadliest in more than a century for the affected area [1] FEMA & Government Response - Questions are raised regarding the future of FEMA and the administration's response to the flooding [2] - FEMA did not answer nearly two-thirds of calls to its disaster assistance line after the floods [3] - The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary requires personal approval for all FEMA spending over $100,000 [4][10] - FEMA's deployment of urban search and rescue teams was delayed by more than 72 hours after the flooding began [4] - Kirk County officials did not utilize FEMA's integrated public alert and warning system to send warnings to mobile phones [5] Funding & Resource Allocation - The state of Texas has a $20 billion surplus, but Republicans have refused to allocate funds to rural Texas for emergency management [16] - A bill for emergency management was killed by the lieutenant governor, indicating a lack of state investment in rural Texas [9] - The Texas Department of Emergency Management deemed the affected county ineligible for specific FEMA grants [15] Early Warning Systems - The most serious alerts from the National Weather Service came too late [7] - Requests for flood early warning systems and federal funding have been rejected by the Texas legislature since 2016 [13] - The community has been asking for water gauges for some time, but they have not been provided [16] Flood Map Issues - FEMA removed dozens of Camp Mystic buildings from the 100-year flood map before expansion [18] - Areas designated as special flood hazard areas have a 1% chance of inundation in any given year [19]

Government Response to Disasters - The government's response to disasters is perceived as inadequate, particularly regarding the time taken to respond, with concerns raised about a 72-hour delay [2][7] - There are concerns about potential cuts impacting the ability of agencies like NOAA to provide necessary information and warnings during emergencies [7][8] - The federal government's role is to provide resources and act as a backup for states during major disasters, but there are questions about whether FEMA is functioning effectively [4][5] - The President's response to natural disasters is seen as potentially influenced by the political affiliation of state leadership [9][10][12] FEMA and Emergency Management - There are differing opinions on whether moving FEMA from the Department of Homeland Security would improve its effectiveness [13][14] - Concerns exist about the qualifications and competence of individuals appointed to oversee FEMA [14] - The importance of federal expertise in emergency response is highlighted, as states may not have the resources or need for a fully staffed emergency response team year-round [19][20] Climate Change and Future Emergencies - Climate change is recognized as a factor contributing to the increasing frequency and intensity of emergencies [15][16] - There are concerns that actions to address climate change are being rolled back [16]

FEMA Response Concerns - Democratic lawmakers are raising concerns about the federal response to the Texas flooding, questioning the impact of administration cuts to FEMA and the National Weather Service [1] - The response in Texas is criticized, with claims that FEMA didn't show up with swift water rescue crews for 72 hours, a deviation from past practices [4] - There are reports of over 20% of FEMA's workforce being forced out, and key positions, like the Florida regional administrator, remaining empty [5] FEMA Reform and Current State - FEMA needed reform to be faster, but the current administration broke it, potentially intentionally, by appointing an interim administrator with zero emergency management experience [7][8] - The changes have made FEMA slower and less efficient, potentially costing lives and disproportionately hurting red states that rely on FEMA for disaster relief [9] - The reimbursement process has slowed down, impacting cities' and counties' ability to make decisions and clean up after disasters [9][10] Congressional Action and Hurricane Season Preparedness - Congress could have done more in the past eight months to address the issues at FEMA, but the damage has already been done [13] - Members of Congress from states like Louisiana should push the White House to get FEMA ready, expedite declarations, and preposition resources [14][15] - FEMA needs to revert to its established playbook for hurricane season, and members of Congress should speak up publicly about the need for preparedness [15][16]

FEMA and Disaster Response - Congressman Jared Bosowitz criticizes Christine Gnome's leadership at FEMA, stating she "has no idea what she's doing" and that her decisions may have caused additional deaths in Texas [2][3][4][7] - FEMA is allegedly cutting grants to states for capacity building while simultaneously telling them they need more capacity, and pausing grants of $10 billion for previously approved disasters [3] - The acting FEMA administrator, David Richardson, reportedly has zero emergency management experience and makes no decisions without Christine Gnome's approval [4] - Swiftwater rescue crews were allegedly delayed for 72 hours due to Christine Gnome's lack of approval, rendering them useless upon arrival [4][5] - Congressman Bosowitz sent a letter to the Homeland Security and Transportation Committees requesting a full investigation into FEMA's decision-making timeline and deviation from protocols [7] - FEMA is deemed "mandatory" and essential for states like Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, South Carolina, and North Carolina to avoid bankruptcy after disasters [9][10][11] - There is a bipartisan bill to remove FEMA from Homeland Security to improve its speed and efficiency [9][10] - The regional administrator position in Florida (Region 4) is currently vacant, and regional offices are reportedly 20-30% empty due to forced departures [16] - Secretary of Homeland Security Christy Gnome allegedly delayed the federal response to deadly flooding in Texas for more than 3 days [31] - Secretary Gnome required direct approval of any DHS contract worth more than $100,000, creating a bottleneck and delay in disaster relief efforts [31] - A $3 million grant dedicated to creating a state-of-the-art system to warn local communities quickly about extreme weather was canceled [35] Tariffs and Trade - President Trump is threatening a new 35% tariff on goods from Canada and blanket tariffs of 15-20% on all remaining countries [29] - Mike Pence states that tariffs are a tax, and American consumers and businesses ultimately pay almost all of that cost, potentially leading to a $3,000 increase in the cost of goods for the average American household [29] - A 20% tariff on goods from Canada could lead to higher prices and empty shelves in the United States, potentially exceeding the worst inflation rate under Biden [29] Russia and Ukraine - The US is resuming deliveries of some weapons to Ukraine [29] - Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Russia's foreign minister to exchange "new ideas" about ending the war, despite a massive Russian attack on Kyiv [29] - House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thun are prepared to move forward with new sanctions on Russia [29] - President Trump will have a major statement on Russia come Monday [29] Birthright Citizenship - A federal district court judge in New Hampshire issued a nationwide injunction to stop Donald Trump's executive order denying birthright citizenship to babies born in the US [24] - The judge certified a class-action lawsuit of babies born in the US who could be denied citizenship by Donald Trump's order [25] - The executive order allegedly violates the 14th amendment to the US Constitution and conflicts with binding Supreme Court precedent [28] Justice Department and Political Interference - A lawyer in the Trump Justice Department, Erez Reveni, was fired for telling a federal judge the truth about an immigration case [16] - Politico obtained emails and text messages showing that Emil Bove, a former criminal defense lawyer for Donald Trump, played a key role in a decision to deport Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador despite a judge's order [17][18] - CIA Director John Ratcliffe allegedly ordered analysts to review the 2016 intelligence assessment on Russian interference in the election, but the review validated the original findings [36][37][38][39] - The Senate Intelligence Committee's 1300-page report confirms that Russia interfered in the election to denigrate Hillary Clinton and help Donald Trump [53][54][55]

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]

Disaster Response & FEMA - The report highlights a delayed federal response to a tragic flooding event, with at least 121 confirmed dead and 166 still missing [1] - The report alleges that Secretary of Homeland Security Christy Gnome delayed the federal response to the flooding for more than 3 days [2] - A new policy requiring the Secretary's direct approval of any DHS contract worth more than $100,000 is criticized for creating a bottleneck in disaster relief efforts [5][6][7] - FEMA sources indicate that Secretary Gnome did not approve the deployment of urban search and rescue teams to Texas until more than 3 days after the flood [8] - A $3 million grant dedicated to creating a state-of-the-art system for warning local communities about extreme weather was canceled [12] - Concerns are raised about the potential dismantling of FEMA and the federal government's role in disaster response [16] Leadership & Governance - Secretary Gnome is accused of prioritizing social media engagement over her responsibilities as a cabinet official [3][4][8][9] - The report questions Secretary Gnome's qualifications and actions, suggesting incompetence and a focus on "performative governance" [17] - The acting FEMA administrator is criticized for a lack of experience in emergency management and absence during the disaster [19][20] - A Senator's letter to Secretary Gnome demands the release of her plan for the current hurricane season, expressing concerns about the impact of the $100,000 approval policy [15][22]

Disaster Recovery Efforts - The immediate focus should be on recovery efforts and supporting grieving families affected by the flooding in Texas [2][3][6] - There will be time later to evaluate what could have been done to prevent the tragedy [3][4][6] - Emergency management is a tiered system, with federal assistance available if local and state resources are insufficient [16] Weather Monitoring and Warning Systems - A bill was filed to address rural weather monitoring systems to better predict storms [4] - Discussions are ongoing about improving warning systems after monitoring systems are in place [5] - The bill focuses on monitoring low-level weather systems, particularly in rural areas where radar coverage is limited [9][10] - The recent flooding highlights the challenges of monitoring and warning about storms in rural America [10] State Legislative Action - The Texas state legislature will likely discuss how to prevent similar events in the future [14] - The state legislature may consider an emergency flood warning system [15] - Texas is believed to have sufficient financial resources to address the issues related to the flooding [17][18]

Emergency Response & Preparedness - Initial responders rescued over 200 people and evacuated over 100 homes within the first hour of the flooding [2] - Gaps exist in the alert system and communication, hindering quick responses before floodwaters reached critical levels [4] - Questions remain about the resources available on the ground before the floodwaters arrived, creating a disconnect between local and state officials [8][9][11] - A state-approved disaster plan existed for Camp Mystic just two days before the floods, but the specifics of its execution are still under investigation [16][17][18] Weather Forecasting & Resource Allocation - National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings for Bandera, Kerr, and other counties before the worst flooding began [15] - National Weather Service forecasters are understaffed and overworked, potentially compromising their ability to keep the public safe [20][21] - Proposed budget cuts threaten research labs and universities that develop the scientific tools used for weather forecasting, potentially hindering future forecast accuracy [22][23] Long-Term Implications & Climate Change - The frequency of extreme weather events, such as "100-year floods," is increasing, with some communities experiencing such events multiple times within a decade [23][24] - Climate change is identified as a contributing factor to the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events [24]