TELL CONGRESS: The Trump administration made relentless federal funding cuts at FEMA and the National Weather Service ahead of the disastrous floods in Texas. Kristi Noem’s failures at FEMA demonstrate a crisis of leadership, staffing, and funding. Sign the petition: Federal agencies save lives! Fully fund and staff FEMA and the National Weather Service!

Senate Democrats are pursuing a probe into how Kristi Noem’s cost-cutting measures at FEMA may have led to a tragic failure to respond to the recent deadly floods in Texas.1

A letter from Senate Democrats highlights a controversial Noem policy that required her approval on all expenditures over $100K. Reports suggest that this directive created obstacles to FEMA’s response, leaving it unable to prepare resources and quickly activate response teams.2,3

The Trump administration cut FEMA staff by 20% in April and fired 15% of staff from the National Weather Service.4.5 Our leaders must reverse these cuts to protect scientific innovation and disaster response — and save lives!

Sign the petition: Reverse Trump’s cuts to FEMA and the National Weather Service!

The National Weather Service is the key agency in America tasked with analyzing and providing information about the nation’s weather — including life-threatening extreme weather. Noem, Trump, and DOGE’s cuts at FEMA came just before hurricane season.6

The White House’s cuts to federal agencies across the board have caused chaos, set scientific research back, empowered big corporations, and cost lives.

All of these cuts were laid out in the right-wing’s Project 2025, and they will only get worse if Congress doesn’t take immediate action to restore staff and funding.

Sign the petition: Fund and staff federal agencies, especially FEMA and NWS!

Thanks for taking action,

Joey and the Demand Progress team

Sources:

  1. Politico, "Senate Democrats want probe of FEMA cost-control policy after Texas flood tragedy,” July 14, 2025.
  2. Ibid.
  3. The New York Times, “In Flooded Texas, Questions About FEMA’s Role and Fate,” July 8, 2025.
  4. The New York Times, “As Floods Hit, Key Roles Were Vacant at Weather Service Offices in Texas,” July 11, 2025.
  5. CNN Politics, “FEMA losing roughly 20% of permanent staff, including longtime leaders, ahead of hurricane season” April 23, 2025.
  6. Ibid.

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