Ranking Members Thompson, Kennedy Request Investigation into the Politicization of FEMA Disaster Declarations

Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Tim Kennedy (D-NY), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology, announced they are requesting a Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) disaster declaration process amid concerns that disaster aid decisions are becoming increasingly politicized under the Trump administration. In a request letter , the Ranking Members warned that recent denials of disaster declarations, despite damage exceeding FEMA’s traditional thresholds, could disproportionately harm rural communities, small States, and underserved areas that already face challenges accessing disaster assistance. “There are indications that the President’s decision-making is often based, at least in part, on perceived political support rather than on objective data about a jurisdiction’s need for Federal assistance,” the Ranking Members wrote. “American communities deserve a consistent, objective, and non-partisan process for determining whether they will receive help from the Federal Government during what may be their most dire time of need.” In their letter, Thompson and Kennedy asked GAO to investigate changes to FEMA’s disaster declaration process, examine whether presidential decisions aligned with FEMA’s recommendations from 2016-2026, and assess whether rural and underserved communities have been fairly evaluated for disaster assistance. Read the full letter here. ###