WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), ranking member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, on Thursday demanded answers from U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which is responsible for protecting Americans before, during, and in the aftermath of natural disasters. Murphy’s letter comes in the wake of President Trump’s threats to illegally phase out FEMA and public reporting that Noem’s pick to lead the agency, David Richardson, has been a “no-show” in responding to the devastating floods in Texas that, to date, have killed more than 120 people. 

“The steady stream of misinformation you and others within the Administration have repeatedly regurgitated regarding FEMA’s past efficacy has made it clear that you and President Trump are hellbent on bringing the agency’s mission to a grinding halt. For nearly four decades, FEMA has been singularly focused on helping people before, during, and after disasters. But under your leadership, it has become an ineffectual and inefficient shell of its former self as the country reels from the tragic fatal flooding in Texas and is in the thick of a hurricane season that is predicted to have an above-normal number of storms,” Murphy wrote.

Murphy rebuked the Administration’s notion that states could effectively administer disaster response without federal coordination: “The Administration has also not communicated a realistic plan for how FEMA’s important work can continue should the agency be eliminated, instead simply repeating a well-worn and naive mantra that “the states will do it.” Such capacity does not and won’t exist. Even if the states, territories, and tribes could create their own “mini-FEMAs” to continue this work, taxpayers would lose all economies of scale gained at the federal level, instead placing the funding burden on each individual state, territory, and tribe.”

He demanded to know why DHS has canceled or delayed more than $100 billion in grant payments: “Many of these payments are simple reimbursements for costs already incurred, such as public assistance funding to pay for debris removal and emergency protective measures following a disaster. Funding for other programs has also been halted, including counterterrorism, salaries and equipment for firefighters, flood mitigation and more. Inconceivably, your department also attempted to stop and then actively delayed funding for state and local emergency management agencies – the very agencies that would be tasked with responding to disasters if you are successful in shuttering FEMA.”

Murphy also called out Noem’s bullying and harassment of FEMA’s dedicated staff: “It is no easy task to pry disaster workers from their work, but you’ve certainly tried through constant rhetoric, threats, unlawful polygraphs, slander, libel, and general demonizing of their agency and their work. It’s an affront to human decency, both for the dedicated FEMA employees themselves and for the disaster victims they support. And to what end? What strategy or vision do these actions serve? What is the benefit to the American people, whom you—like myself, like the President—serve? It’s clear that the only strategy is to remove the relevant knowledge and experience from FEMA in an effort to dismantle it from the inside out.”

Murphy concluded: “I fear your department is making conscious decisions to increase the risk to—and make life worse for—the American people. As a result, the agency is in the midst of hurricane season with fewer resources and a less experienced staff, which will have life and death impacts on the American people. I look forward to your swift answers to our questions, and to working with you to ensure that negligence in FEMA’s management does not cost American lives and livelihoods.” 

Full text of the letter is available HERE.