The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) went dry in early August. Representatives Kat Cammack (R-FL) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) jointly led a bipartisan call to the House leadership and members of the Appropriations Committee to replenish the DRF's coffers, citing the impact of natural disasters and the lengthy recovery that comes with them.
As Rep. Cammack explained in her press release, the lack of money in FEMA's DRF means the agency is taking money out of other areas to pay for immediate disaster relief. While this may be immediately beneficial, it also means that money cannot go to future disaster planning, hazard mitigation construction, payments and grants for previous disasters, and will cause staff furloughs.
"In Florida, we’re no strangers to natural disasters and the long recovery process that follows. The Disaster Relief Fund is a useful tool to get communities back on their feet and to help those in need recovery from these life-altering events, but it only works when it has the necessary funds to help the American people. I'm glad to join Rep. Moskowitz and my bipartisan colleagues in calling on Congress to refresh the DRF," said Rep. Cammack.
Rep. Moskowitz noted that this is the second year in a row that the DRF has run out of money, castigating Congress for not passing HR 8716 last year, which would have given the fund $7 billion.
"As the former Emergency Management Director for Florida, the financial state of FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund is incredibly troubling. This is the second year in a row that Congress has let the Disaster Relief Fund be depleted. I introduced H.R. 8716 in June to avoid this scenario, but Congress has unfortunately become far too reactive instead of proactive. We must demonstrate to the American people that our government still works and can carry out basic functions like helping those impacted by disaster recover in their hour of greatest need. Emergency management is something that shouldn’t ever be politicized or used as a bargaining chip, and I’m thankful to my colleagues across the aisle for joining me in calling for this funding," said Rep. Moskowitz.
