Texas flood response faces scrutiny as FEMA defends actions to Congress
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s acting chief told lawmakers Wednesday that the federal response to catastrophic Texas floods was effective, rejecting claims of delayed rescues and unstaffed call centers.
Gabriela Aoun Angueira reports for The Associated Press.
In short:
- David Richardson, FEMA’s acting administrator, told Congress the agency’s coordination with Texas was “a model,” disputing reports of 72-hour delays in search-and-rescue deployments.
- Critics, including Rep. Greg Stanton and FEMA’s former urban search-and-rescue leader, pointed to missed opportunities to pre-position teams and alleged bureaucratic bottlenecks under Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
- President Donald Trump and Noem continue to push for dismantling or overhauling FEMA, with lawsuits pending over canceled disaster mitigation grants and proposals emerging in Congress to make FEMA an independent Cabinet-level agency.
Key quote:
“It haunts me that we could have had more urban search and rescue pre-positioned in place. That was a choice.”
—Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz.
Why this matters:
Flooding disasters are growing more frequent and destructive as climate patterns shift, overwhelming emergency systems and forcing difficult questions about federal versus state responsibility. The debate over FEMA’s future highlights a larger struggle over how to fund and coordinate relief as storms intensify and recovery costs soar. Texans facing the loss of homes and infrastructure rely on immediate aid, yet delays or policy shifts in Washington can leave survivors stranded. Decisions made now — whether to keep FEMA intact, downsize it, or shift duties to states — will shape how quickly Americans receive help in the next crisis and how much rebuilding communities can expect after disasters that are no longer rare events.
For more: FEMA search and rescue leader quits amid Texas flood response delays
