Lawmakers Demand FEMA Release of Withheld Disaster Mitigation Funds During Fire Season

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representatives Sam Liccardo (CA-16) and Assistant Democratic Leader Joe Neguse (CO-02) led a coalition of twenty-five Members of Congress urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to release disaster assistance funds. Their push follows reporting by The Washington Postthat revealed the agency withheld $1.68 billion in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) awards from California and Colorado.

The Post's reporting suggests politics motivated the delays. The Trump administration has made it three times harder for states with a Democratic governor and two Democratic senators to secure federal disaster aid.

"While FEMA has awarded $1.1 billion in HMGP awards this year, California has received only $830,000 and Colorado none," wrote the lawmakers. "By contrast, FEMA awarded $239 million to Florida, $131 million to Texas, and $117 million to Louisiana. We know of no eligibility or statutory factors that justify California and Colorado-together home to roughly one in eight Americans-receiving less than one-tenth of one percent of HMGP awards this year."

The lawmakers also highlighted the troubling delay given that California and Colorado are both donor states, contributing $276 billion and $10 billion more in taxes, respectively, than they receive in federal spending. HMGP awards also save taxpayer dollars. Disaster preparedness and mitigation save lives and reduce costs, with studies showing that every dollar invested in prevention saves $13 in disaster response and economic impact.

"We trust that you agree that FEMA should not put Americans' lives and livelihoods at unnecessary risk," the lawmakers wrote to Acting FEMA Administrator Bob Fenton. "Accordingly, we request your support in ensuring that our constituents receive the same full, fair, and prompt consideration of their FEMA grant requests as Americans in every other state, and we look forward to your timely response."

Read the letter here.

Signers include: Representatives Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Jason Crow (CO-06), Pete Aguilar (CA-33), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25), Ted W. Lieu (CA-36), Judy Chu (CA-28), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Dave Min (CA-47), Jared Huffman (CA-02), George Whitesides (CA-27), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), John Garamendi (CA-08), Laura Friedman (CA-30), and J. Luis Correa (CA-46).