Republican lawmakers expressed concerns Thursday over the Trump administration’s proposal to restructure the Federal Emergency Management Agency, calling into question moves that would roll back the traditional bulwark to assist states with disaster relief.
At a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., told Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that she was “concerned about the FEMA issue,” citing her own experience in a small state she said often faces natural disasters like flooding.
“My experience with FEMA, has it been flawless? Has it been, you know, a smooth road? No,” Capito said. “But I think it’s a vital function, and I am concerned, if we turn it all over to the states, the capacity for the state to really handle this is something that — so I would ask you to tread lightly.”
