WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) this week led his colleagues in urging President Trump to expeditiously nominate a qualified Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator that will restore confidence in the agency as peak disaster season approaches. In their letter, the Senators expressed serious concern about the ongoing absence of a Senate-confirmed FEMA Administrator and steps the Trump Administration has taken to weaken and destabilize the agency, including the abrupt termination last month of Cameron Hamilton, the Senior Official Performing the Duties of FEMA Administrator.
“In recent months, your administration has reduced FEMA staff by roughly 30%, rescinded grant funding local communities rely on to recover from disasters and significantly scaled back emergency management training for state officials,” wrote the Senators. “Taken together, these actions have impeded ongoing recovery efforts and undermined the national response to future natural disasters.”
To date, President Trump has failed to nominate an Administrator or appoint someone who satisfies the qualifications specified for the role. David Richardson—Mr. Hamilton’s replacement as the Senior Official Performing the Duties of FEMA Administrator—told agency staff last week that he did not know the United States has a hurricane season. Mr. Richardson will head the federal response to any hurricanes that hit our shores this season.
The Senators concluded: “We agree that FEMA can do better and needs reform. But dismantling the agency and weakening its leadership will only leave states and localities stranded when disaster strikes. To preserve the long-term integrity of FEMA and ensure our nation’s preparedness for future disasters, we urge you to nominate a qualified Administrator that will restore confidence in the agency as soon as possible.”
In addition to Senator Welch, the letter was cosigned by Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).
Read and download the full text of the letter to President Trump.
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