Criticism of Government Response to Texas Floods

Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) expressed concern in a recent interview about the government’s inadequacies in handling the devastating floods in Texas that resulted in over 120 fatalities.

“Right now, families across the state are mourning their losses, and it’s just heartbreaking. This tragedy was avoidable; we had the technology to prevent such a significant loss of life,” Doggett remarked during his Saturday morning segment on MSNBC’s “Velshi.”

He added, “There have been failures at every level—county, state, and federal.” During the interview, Doggett also referenced President Trump’s remarks towards a Texas-based reporter while visiting the state. Trump, when asked how he would respond to family members unhappy about delayed alerts, said, “I think everyone did an incredible job under the circumstances. I’m just praising the work that everyone did. Bad people are the only ones who don’t see that.”

Doggett took issue with Trump’s response, stating, “It’s typical for the president to evade accountability. He seems to target the press when they highlight existing problems despite his assurances.” He criticized FEMA’s response, suggesting it lacked necessary training and that the search and rescue operations were hindered.

Doggett was among several Democrats who raised alarms about potential delays in flood warnings from the National Weather Service. In related news, CNN reported that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary, Christie Noem, introduced a new rule requiring approvals for contracts over $100,000 before funds are allocated.

Noem dismissed the CNN report as “fake news” during an appearance on Fox News, asserting it misrepresented her actions. Trump also defended Noem in an NBC News interview, stating, “She was there from the beginning and didn’t need anything. She was literally the first person I saw on TV regarding this issue.”