**THURSDAY**

Introduction of the Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization (AID) Act will mark the anniversaries of catastrophic flooding across Vermont on July 10-11, 2023, and July 10-11, 2024 

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) will hold a Pen and Pad with reporters this Thursday to discuss his new bill to reform the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He will file the bill Thursday morning. 

Senator Welch’s new Disaster AID Act will cut red tape and empower state and local governments, make the delivery of disaster aid more efficient and effective, provide assistance to small towns and communities impacted by natural disasters, and block the White House from withholding funding for disaster recovery.   

Last week, Senator Welch visited with Vermonters and community leaders impacted by the July 2023 and July 2024 floods across Vermont—including in Killington, Ludlow, Weston, Barre and Montpelier.  

LOGISTICS:   

WHAT: Senator Peter Welch’s Pen and Pad on the need to reform and strengthen FEMA. 

***Please RSVP to Aaron_White@welch.senate.gov; 202-960-0677 *** 

WHEN: Thursday, July 10, 2025; 10:15-10:45 a.m. ET 

WHERE: Senator Welch’s hideaway—location provided upon RSVP 

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:   

Senator Welch has been outspoken in opposing threats by President Trump to dismantle FEMA. Earlier this year, Senator Welch published a guest essay in The New York Times entitled: “Don’t Kill FEMA. Fix It.” In his piece, Senator Welch outlined why President Trump’s actions to undermine and potentially dissolve FEMA are misguided—but also committed to working with the President on good faith efforts to reform the agency’s long-term recovery process.   

In December 2024, Senator Welch helped shape and pass a comprehensive disaster aid package, which delivered more than $100.4 billion of relief for states like Vermont recovering from climate disasters. The disaster aid package contained many of Senator Welch’s top priorities for the State: dedicated help for Vermont’s flood-impacted farmers, flexible spending through the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Relief fund, money for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund, and support for businesses, among many other important provisions.  

Learn more about the Disaster AID Act.  

Read a section-by-section summary of the Disaster AID Act.  

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