It would require FEMA to reinstate employees fired by the Trump administration and reinstate a federal flood mitigation assistance program.
AUSTIN, Texas — While state lawmakers continue to debate flood response bills during this special session, a Texas Democrat in the U.S. House of Representative is pushing to reverse cuts to disaster response at the federal level.
On Tuesday, Congressman Greg Casar of Austin introduced the FEMA Critical Staffing Act. It would require FEMA to reinstate employees fired by the Trump administration and reinstate a federal flood mitigation assistance program.
Casar also cosponsored a bill that would fund NOAA and require the U.S. commerce secretary to reinstate its fired employees.
“We must fully restore Trump’s cuts to natural disaster response to save lives in Texas,” Casar said. “The July 4 floods were devastating, and more like them could come. Congress must act now.”
Earlier this month, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from reallocating $4 billion meant to help communities protect against natural disasters.
Twenty states argue FEMA lacks the authority to end the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program and redirect more than $4 billion of its funding. The program aims to harden infrastructure around the country against potential storm damage.
FEMA initially announced it was ending the program, but later said in a court filing that it was evaluating it.
Noting money for the program was allocated by Congress, the states’ lawsuit says any attempt to redirect it would run afoul of the Constitution.
The program has provided grants for a range of disaster management projects, including strengthening electrical grids, constructing levees for flood protection and relocating vulnerable water treatment facilities. Many of the projects are in rural communities.
Last month, the Commerce Department granted Casar’s request for an independent investigation into the federal government’s flood response.
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