Two Democratic senators want the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general to launch an investigation into Secretary Kristi Noem’s cost-control measures — and how the policy may have affected Federal Emergency Management Agency’s response to devastating flooding in Texas that left more than 120 people dead.
The letter from Sens. Rubén Gallego of Arizona and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, first obtained by POLITICO and sent Monday, references a sweeping rule Noem has implemented at DHS requiring every contract and grant over $100,000 to have her approval before the funds can be released.
In the aftermath of the Texas flooding this month, reports have suggested the policy created obstacles to FEMA’s response, leaving it unable to pre-position certain resources and quickly activate certain response teams.
“The American people deserve answers and more importantly, they deserve accountability. While we are still waiting for all the facts to come out, what is clear is that FEMA must be able to respond to disasters immediately,” the letter said. “A disaster response system that must wait for one official’s signature is unacceptable and designed to fail.”
