It's a sad fact that most of us know what "DOGE-ing" means now: shrinking the budgets and workforce of an agency so much that it basically ceases to function.

And that's exactly what Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has up her sleeve for FEMA.

If you've ever lived in a community affected by a federally-declared natural disaster, you know just how critical a fully operational FEMA response is.

Their job is to support local recovery efforts (instead of duplicating them) from their 33 offices, over 1,000 active disaster areas, in all 50 states, plus D.C. and five U.S. territories.

Here's what we know about their plans so far:

• Kristi Noem has never been shy about publicly saying she wants to shrink or eliminate FEMA
• A first round of firings began on New Year's Eve targeting their first responder and recovery teams – the most important group of staffers to arrive after a disaster hits
• As many as 50% of the first responder teams will likely not have their contracts renewed this year
• Leaving FEMA with a shrinking workforce and little funding will shift responsibility over to individual states – most of whom will struggle to cover the enormous costs of disaster response, recovery, and rebuilding

FEMA is no perfect agency – no agency or workplace ever is – but their instant impact and disaster knowledge is second to none.

This is much deeper than just attempting to cut down the federal workforce. By usurping the independence of federal agencies, and leaving states to try to pick up the pieces, they are putting farmers, ranchers, and entire rural communities at greater risk of even more pain, suffering, and financial loss after disaster strikes.

Heidi

Heidi Heitkamp, Former U.S. Senator for North Dakota
Founder, One Country Project