Exclusive: A leading Republican lawmaker gave FEMA Administrator DeAnne Criswell some facts and figures after discovering that nearly half of recent Congressional funding for disaster relief was spent on non-hurricane-related benefits. He sent a scathing letter demanding that
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said FEMA lifted August restrictions on Emergency Needs Funds (INF) on October 1, shortly after Hurricane Helen made landfall in Florida.
Although FEMA funds used for immigration issues, which have been criticized in recent days, are officially separated from disaster relief (DRF), Roy said that funds related to COVID-19 response fall under the category of disaster relief. said.
“The American people have legitimate concerns about the availability of FEMA funding to respond to these hurricanes and future events in the short term,” said Roy, a member of the House Budget Committee. I wrote it.
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President Joe Biden arrives at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in Greer, South Carolina, to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Helen, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, and is joined by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator DeAnne Criss. Talk to Well. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (AP)
“FEMA is rapidly disbursing billions of dollars from the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) to non-immediate needs, such as unnecessary funding for the COVID-19 response, and the hurricane season remains Even though there are nearly two months left, there is a risk that the fund will be depleted.” Added.
Roy said the decision to lift INF restrictions was “questionable,” and as of Wednesday, FEMA had spent $344 million on Helen relief efforts, with more planned.
He questioned the “huge amounts” of funding being poured into COVID-19 relief, almost two years after the official coronavirus “state of emergency” ended. .
California alone spent $1.2 billion, with nearly half of the DRF funds initially delayed due to INF restrictions going to COVID-19 projects, according to FEMA documents obtained by Roy.
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Swannanoa residents walk through devastating flood damage from the Swannanoa River in western North Carolina on Sunday, September 29, 2024. (Travis Long/The News & Observer/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Roy went on to demand answers from Criswell as soon as possible about why FEMA lifted the INF restrictions while footage of the devastation in the Smoky Mountains became widely publicized.
He also asked for specific figures for spending on COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 projects, as well as spending on Helen and Milton recovery efforts.
He also asked, “Unless Congressional funding is significantly increased, how will FEMA ensure that COVID-19 projects do not continue to threaten FEMA's ability to utilize DRF to respond to disasters in the future?” Please explain,'' he added, raising the idea that Congress could ban it. DRF can no longer fund COVID-19 projects.
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Congressman Chip Roy (R-Texas) speaks at a press conference. (Getty Images)
“If we are going to appropriate funds for disaster relief, both FEMA and Congress should ensure that the DRF prioritizes individuals affected by disasters…” he said.
Hurricane Helen destroyed parts of Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, and the Pigeon River completely washed out the critical Interstate 40 in Haywood County, North Carolina . , despite its high altitude, was subject to flooding.
The effects of the massive storm were felt as far west as Tishomingo, Mississippi, to the Cumberland Plateau, Kentucky.
Within days, Hurricane Milton made landfall south of Tampa Bay, spawning several tornadoes on the other side of the Sunshine State and killing multiple people near Port St. Lucie.
Fox News Digital has reached out to FEMA and its umbrella agency, DHS, for comment.
Fox News' Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
