February 27, 2025
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Government Watchdog issues unprecedented warnings regarding US disaster response status
Disaster aid provision is for the first time on the Government’s Office of Accountability High Risk List as climate-related costs skyrockets, Federal Emergency Management Agency staffing and the Trump administration makes further cuts.
Residents affected by the fire met with FEMA officials in Pasadena, California on January 14, 2025, where the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center opened, where homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofits will help the economy recover.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
ClimateWire | Congress’s oversight department issued an unprecedented warning about the risks faced by federal disaster aid.
Government Accountability Bureau He said the Federal Emergency Management Agency staffing levels and other workforce issues “limit our ability to provide effective disaster assistance.”
The staffing shortage that continued from 2019 to 2022 was “continuing to grow,” leaving the agency with minimal staffing when Hurricane Milton struck Florida in October, days after Hurricane Helen abolished the state and much of the Southeast.
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The warning coincides with the threat of President Donald Trump shuttering FEMA, coming two weeks after his administration fired at least 200 people from his agency.
The report is the first time GAO has provided disaster aid to its annual “high risk list,” highlighting areas of “seriously vulnerable” federal government that require wasted, fraud, abuse, or change. In addition to the FEMA staffing issues, the report states that “natural disasters are becoming more expensive and more frequent.”
GAO did not mention the FEMA shootings carried out by Trump or his administration.
After attacking FEMA’s response to floods caused by Helen in western North Carolina, Trump has created a council to consider whether the agency should be dissolved. It is led by Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegses.
FEMA staff is just one of the issues GAO has found in disaster response. Others include fragmentation of federal disaster response across more than 30 entities and the complex processes that allow individuals to receive emergency assistance after a disaster.
“Survivors face many challenges that require assistance, including a long and complex application review process,” GAO reflects the concerns raised over the years. “Reforming the federal government’s approach to disaster recovery and reducing fragmentation could potentially improve service delivery to disaster survivors.”
Many federal governments provide disaster aid, including housing and urban development, transportation and small business management departments.
GAO urged Congress to establish an independent committee. “We recommend reforms to the federal government’s approach to disaster recovery.” Congress also recommended strengthening HUD’s disaster programmes to allow money to be distributed more quickly.
GAO’s latest high-risk list includes 38 regions, including the federal flood insurance program and the potential federal costs due to climate change. Both fields have been on the list for years.
The White House and FEMA did not respond to requests for comment.
Reprinted from E&E News With permission from Politico, LLC. Copyright 2025. E&E News provides essential news to energy and environmental experts.
