Friend,

Over the past six months, Donald Trump has slashed FEMA staffing, gutted critical disaster relief programs — and even proposed eliminating FEMA altogether.

Then, earlier this month, catastrophic flooding in Texas left more than 130 people dead and thousands still waiting for help. Due to staffing shortages, FEMA call centers went unanswered, and life-saving response efforts were delayed.

When asked about the administration’s handling of this tragedy, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem chillingly said: “What you saw happen in Texas was much more how FEMA will look in the future.”

This is unacceptable. And this wasn’t inevitable — this crisis occurred because FEMA was deliberately weakened by political decisions that put ideology over people’s safety.

Americans deserve a government that shows up in moments of crisis — not one that abandons them.

That’s why I called for a full investigation into how these reckless cuts affected the response in Texas — and how they’re putting other communities at risk. I’m glad to report the Commerce Department Inspector General has agreed to launch that investigation.

If you agree we need a thorough investigation to prevent another disaster response failure like Texas, sign our petition today →

Sincerely,

Chuck Schumer