Flood-ravaged Texas deserved immediate attention from government relief agencies, and there have been many examples of commendable actions by local, state, and national officials. With the death toll rising to 120, the 173 people unaccounted for, and the millions of dollars of immediate and long-term aid that is needed, it’s the time to have a unified relief effort.
Unfortunately, FEMA’s acting administrator has been a no-show in reviewing and coordinating aid to the flood victims. And while Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem has been omnipresent in the flood zone, a cost-cutting measure she implemented has slowed down much-needed aid for rescue and recovery operations.
FEMA: Flood, What Flood?
Since the Guadalupe River’s water began rising until today, FEMA’s acting administrator, David Richardson, has been AWOL in the flood-affected areas. Richardson has not been to the site of one of the deadliest floods in U.S. history. FEMA administrators typically meet with local and state officials, families of victims, and disaster survivors to help coordinate federal response and highlight the unity among responding levels of government.
Federal law states that the FEMA administrator is charged with leading the nation’s efforts to “prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate against the risk of natural disasters.” A law enacted after Hurricane Katrina gives the agency administrator the role of the principal advisor on emergency management in the U.S.
Previous FEMA administrators, including Richardson’s predecessor, Cameron Hamilton, made it a point to visit disaster zones to meet with everyone affected by the catastrophe and provide encouragement and empathy. A current FEMA employee explained it this way,
“When Hamilton was in the role, he was out there doing something to encourage us or announce something or do a photo op with survivors or regional [FEMA] leadership. “I have no idea what’s going on with David Richardson’s absence.”
Since Richardson’s appointment, he has made no public appearances or statements. DHS did not respond directly to questions regarding Richardson’s role in the government response to the deadly flood. Secretary Noem has been an active presence on the ground in the region and appears to be leading the federal government’s response to the disaster.
Noem is Penny-Wise and Pound-Foolish
However, Noem has not escaped criticism regarding her response to the flooding. As FEMA officials prepared to deploy teams to help rescue, recovery, and response operations in Texas flood country, they ran into an administrative snafu. Secretary Noem, who oversees FEMA, recently established an all-encompassing rule that states that every contract and grant over $100,000 would henceforth require her personal sign-off before any funds could be disbursed.
FEMA disaster response costs run into the billions of dollars as the agency signs agreements with various contractors, such as Urban Search and Rescue Teams, to help with disaster relief. Purchases of over $100,000 are quite common, and this new rule currently hamstrings the agency. A longtime FEMA employee explained it this way to CNN.
“We were operating under a clear set of guidance: lean forward, be prepared, anticipate what the state needs, and be ready to deliver it. That is not as clear of an intent for us at the moment.”
This coupled with the crippling personnel cuts that the agency has experienced and then the exit of experienced emergency managers has left FEMA unprepared for hurricane, storm, and flood season. And FEMA is running out of disaster relief funds due to DHS’s overspending on border security. One of the big reasons that the Trump administration wanted the recently passed reconciliation bill on his desk by July 4 was to ensure that FEMA has enough funds for this busy season.
Senator Wyden’s Response
Democratic Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden commented on the situation on social media. He said,
“Kids in Texas died as a direct result of Kristi Noem’s negligence. She should be removed from office before her incompetence gets Oregonians killed in a wildfire.”
