The agency is ineffective, duplicative, and expensive.
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DuringarecentvisittoAsheville,NorthCarolina,PresidentDonaldTrumpfloatedtheideaoffundamentallyoverhaulingtheFederalEmergencyManagementAgency(FEMA).“Ifitwasuptome,”Trumpsaid,“I’dend[FEMA]rightnow,andI’djustletthestatetakecareoftheproblem.”HesubsequentlysignedanexecutiveordertoassessFEMA’sabilitytoprovide“immediate,effective,andimpartialresponsetoandrecoveryfromdisasters.”
Thepresident’scommentsbroughtimmediatepushback.KentuckyDemocraticGov.AndyBeshearcalledtheeliminationofFEMAa“verybadidea.”Sen.BillCassidy(R–La.)stoppedshortofcondemningTrump’scomments,saying somefederaldisasteragencyisneeded,evenifthatagencyisn’tFEMA.
ButTrumpisrightaboutthisone.Thesystemoffederaldisasterreliefdoesneedreform.FEMA’sfailuresarewell-documented,andtheyhavecomeatasteepcosttotaxpayers.Thoughtheagencyhasreceivednearly$30billioninannualappropriationsthepastthreeyears