All articles tagged with #fema
Duryea, PA, and other rural towns face growing flood risk as climate-driven rainfall increases and levee upgrades wait for federal BRIC funds that were halted by the Trump administration; despite a court order to reinstate BRIC, funding remains uncertain, jeopardizing costly infrastructure projects and residents’ safety.
The House Ethics Committee held its first public hearing in 16 years into Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick’s alleged embezzlement of $5 million in FEMA disaster funds for her campaign, denying a delay until her criminal case is resolved.
House Democrats are bracing for possible calls to oust Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick amid an ethics probe alleging misuse of FEMA funds and other campaign-finance offenses; with an Ethics Committee hearing imminent and a federal trial next month, leadership says due process will proceed, though some members warn resignation or expulsion could follow if found guilty, reflecting strains in a narrowly divided House.
During his Senate confirmation hearing, DHS secretary nominee Markwayne Mullin laid out a softer, locally led FEMA, pledged to undo some of Kristi Noem's policies, speed disaster reimbursements, and avoid micromanaging expenditures, signaling a potential shift from the turmoil of Noem's tenure; he stopped short of committing to reinstating staff or detailing specific policy changes, leaving action to future decisions.
A collapsed sewer line in the Potomac Interceptor has unleashed hundreds of millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River, risking the Washington, D.C. area’s planned 250th Independence Day celebrations as heat and humidity threaten to carry the stench into the capital; authorities reroute wastewater, FEMA coordinates relief, and political blame is flying between Trump and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore as the city races to fix the problem before July 4.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom urged the Department of Homeland Security to redirect the remaining funds from Kristi Noem’s $220 million vanity ad campaign to aid Los Angeles wildfire victims, arguing FEMA relief for LA has stalled and Noem’s contracting delays are slowing recovery.
Current and former FEMA staff celebrate Kristi Noem's firing as DHS secretary, arguing her micromanagement and drive to shrink FEMA degraded disaster response and delayed billions in reimbursements, with the agency's backlog hitting about $17 billion; Trump names Markwayne Mullin as her successor, though officials worry it may not fully restore FEMA's effectiveness.
Kristi Noem’s rule to vet all DHS contracts over $100,000 slowed FEMA disaster aid, angering Republicans—especially over Hurricane Helene relief in North Carolina—and contributing to her firing; Trump named Markwayne Mullin to replace her, but Senate confirmation and future oversight of disaster spending remain uncertain.
During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing focused on DHS controversies, Sen. Thom Tillis aggressively pressed Kristi Noem, citing a chart to highlight FEMA response differences between presidential terms and even threatening to derail proceedings over blocked investigations into Operation Charlotte's Web, ultimately calling for Noem's resignation.
Foxborough’s Select Board grapples with a $7.8 million security bill for hosting seven World Cup 2026 matches at Gillette Stadium as FEMA funding stalls amid a partial federal shutdown; Boston 2026 and the Kraft family backers promise to cover shortfalls and backstop costs, but the board asserts broad license discretion and demands timely safety equipment by June 1, with a final vote not expected until March 17.
FEMA drained the disaster-relief fund by disbursing over $5 billion in a single week, reducing the balance from about $9.6 billion as the DHS funding lapse continues. The White House has circulated a new DHS funding offer while Democrats press for immigration-enforcement reforms, amid ongoing Capitol Hill negotiations. The live updates also cover Hillary and Bill Clinton’s Epstein-related testimonies and Democrats’ push to outline an affordability agenda ahead of midterms.
Trump’s administration plans to release over $5 billion in long-delayed FEMA disaster relief, part of a backlog exceeding $14 billion, but California, Illinois, Minnesota, and Colorado will not receive funding this round, fueling accusations of political maneuvering amid a DHS funding deadline. FEMA says decisions are based on project readiness and oversight, with other funds still tangled in the backlog and replenishment from Congress needed for further relief.
FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund is nearing depletion as the federal government shutdown continues; with this week's disbursements, the fund would dip to just under $5 billion, and it faces a risk of hitting zero unless Congress reopens DHS and funds the department, since transferring BRIC funds is blocked by court orders. Democrats are tying replenishment to immigration-policy concessions, negotiations remain stalled, and relief efforts for recent storms continue amid the funding squeeze.
The White House sent a new DHS funding proposal to Democrats to end the partial DHS shutdown; FEMA has drained a large portion of its disaster-relief funds by disbursing more than $5 billion in one week, underscoring pressure in negotiations over immigration enforcement policy, as Republicans and Democrats exchange offers. The report also tracks Bill and Hillary Clinton’s Epstein-related depositions and Democrats’ push to outline an affordability agenda ahead of midterm elections.
The Trump administration plans to release over $5B in long-delayed FEMA disaster aid, but California, Illinois, Minnesota, and Colorado are reportedly left out, drawing charges of political influence even as DHS says funding decisions hinge on readiness and merit. The relief backlog remains in the billions and is further strained by the DHS shutdown, complicating future disaster recovery efforts.