The search continues for at least 166 people still missing in central Texas more than a week after that area's deadliest flooding in more than a century. At least 129 are confirmed dead across six counties. President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited hard hit Kerr County on Friday, meeting with first responders and touring the flood ravaged area.The president's visit to Texas comes amid growing cons growing questions over the future of FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which he previou ...

THEY RESPOND. >> WHAT'S THAT GOING TO MEAN. >> AS WE HEAD INTO HURRICANE SEASON.>> JOINING US. >> NOW, TEXAS CONGRESSWOMAN JASMINE CROCKETT. SHE IS A DEMOCRAT ON THE HOUSE COMMITTEE.>> ON OVERSIGHT. >> WELCOME, CONGRESSMAN. IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU AT THE TABLE.YOU KNOW, OUR HEARTS. FIRST OFF GOES GO OUT TO THE GOOD PEOPLE OF TEXAS WHO ARE GOING THROUGH A VERY, VERY TOUGH TIME RIGHT NOW. YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU KNOW, YOUR CONCERN.IT'S NOT YOUR DISTRICT, BUT YOU MAY HAVE SOME FOLKS WHO MAY HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY ...

President Trump stopped in Texas to view the recovery efforts following deadly flooding there as the future of the Federal Emergency Management Agency is up in the air https://t.co/KAmH2UC0Li ...

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]

Disaster Response & Recovery - The primary focus remains on search efforts for over 160 missing people in Kerr County, Texas [1] - The transition from rescue to recovery efforts is accelerating, increasing the urgency for closure for families of missing individuals [3] - Texas, despite being well-prepared and funded for disasters, still requires millions or billions of dollars in federal assistance [10][11] Political & Policy Implications - Presidential visits to disaster areas are often influenced by the political landscape, with contrasting rhetoric observed between visits to Texas (a red state) and California (a Democratic state) [4][6][7] - The President's plans for FEMA are uncertain, particularly regarding potential budget cuts or elimination of the agency, despite its critical role in disaster response [8][9] - A new homeland security policy requiring Secretary Gnome's approval for agency spending exceeding $100,000 may have delayed the federal response in Texas [12][13] Prevention & Preparedness - Kerr County officials warned of a likely flood event in 2024 but deferred action on flood warning systems until the plan was updated, highlighting potential failures in local preparedness [15][16][17] - Implementing robust warning systems, such as text message alerts, is crucial for informing the public about potential dangers [19][20] - The location of facilities like Camp Mystic within flood zones needs scrutiny, emphasizing the importance of considering flood risks in planning and development [21][22] FEMA's Future & Potential Restructuring - Secretary Gnome suggested FEMA needs to be eliminated in its current form and remade into a responsive agency, indicating potential for restructuring rather than complete elimination [23][24][25][26] - The President's reaction to the situation in Texas could influence his thinking on FEMA's future [27]

is Democratic Congressman Jared Bosowitz of Florida. He was the former director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. So, Congressman, I just want to make sure I'm getting this right.You have Gnome arguing FEMA should financially support states that are undergoing disasters, but leave the actual emergency response to those states. In your opinion, is that the most effective model. Well, I think the best way I can sum it up is when Donald Trump was talking about uh Israel and Iran as he was boardi ...

is Democratic Congressman Jared Bosowitz of Florida. He was the former director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. So, Congressman, I just want to make sure I'm getting this right. You have Gnome arguing FEMA should financially support states that are undergoing disasters, but leave the actual emergency response to those states. In your opinion, is that the most effective model? Well, I think the best way I can sum it up is when Donald Trump was talking about uh Israel and Iran as he was board ...

Good evening from New York. I'm Chris Hayes. 7 days after that tragic flooding in Texas, at least 121 people have been confirmed dead, while 166 are still missing.Almost a week out from the initial flooding, search and rescue operations have now shifted to a recovery phase as hope of finding survivors dwindles. And with that horrible reality front of mind, we're starting to learn the ways in which the Trump administration failed in its response to that deadly flooding. According to a eye-opening new report, ...

I'm joined now by Congressman Na Nathaniel Moran. He's a Republican from Texas. He's a co-sponsor of the Rural Weather Monitoring Systems Act.Uh Congressman, uh again, just our thoughts and prayers are with everyone in your district and beyond who are dealing with this awful tragedy. But let's talk about the situation. Texas officials, particularly in Kirk County, have not really addressed questions about why the community was not more prepared for this flooding event.Do you feel that the community is owed ...

NOT SO SURE PRISCILLA CAN HEAR US. PERHAPS HER SHOT FROZE. I'LL START WITH YOU, CRAIG.JUST YOUR REACTION TO LEARNING THAT IN THE FIRST HOUR, THESE POLICE OFFICERS JUMPED INTO ACTION. THIS IS SOMETHING WE LEARNED. THE DETAILS THAT WERE PROVIDED AT THIS PRESS CONFERENCE, THAT THERE WAS A PATROL SERGEANT STARTING HIS DUTY.HE WAS TRAPPED ON AN ISLAND OF SORTS BECAUSE A LOT OF THE PATHWAYS TO GET INTO THE COMMUNITY HAD ALREADY BEEN FLOODED OVER. SO HE WAS THERE SEEING PEOPLE WHO WERE IN NEED OF HELP CLOSE TO HIS ...