Ernst Demands Transparency from FEMA After Disaster Relief Mismanagement

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is raising concerns about the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) recent Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) spending sprees. While the Biden administration requests billions more for disaster relief, Ernst highlights FEMA’s failure to provide timely aid during recent disasters and the discovery that the agency is stockpiling over $20 billion for COVID-19 expenses with plans to spend these funds through 2026.

“The Government Accountability Office (GAO) in March 2024 revealed FEMA is hoarding the remaining roughly $20 billion in unobligated DRF funds. Instead of rushing aid to thousands of Hurricane Helene survivors shivering through a harsh winter without heat, FEMA has cooked up a two-year plan to stretch the spending into 2026. If FEMA has at least $20 billion in unobligated funds, shouldn’t the agency use these funds to accelerate assistance for the thousands of displaced Hurricane Helene survivors?” wrote Ernst.

“The glaring disconnect between FEMA's spending spree and its inability to provide timely, effective support is exceptionally disappointing and leaves those impacted questioning the agency's ability to fulfill its mission,” continued Ernst.

To hold FEMA accountable for financial management planning, Ernst is demanding:

• A line-item breakdown of all accounts with unobligated funds in the DRF;
• A line-item breakdown of pandemic-related expenditures from the DRF since May 2023, following the conclusion of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency;
• An increase in transparency for how pandemic-related expenditures are reviewed and approved; and
• Whether or not FEMA will reconsider its decision to reject GAO’s recommendation to produce a “lessons learned” document to more accurately estimate funds needed for future disasters.

Read the full letter here.

Background:

Ernst has served in times of natural disasters; during her time in the Iowa National Guard, she deployed multiple times to help Iowans recover from devastating floods. She has long worked to cut government red tape so disaster victims can better access the tools they need when disaster strikes. Most notably, she called for a one-stop shop that connects America’s rural communities to federal resources, now known as the Rural Partnership Network, which is a new direct line of communication that helps coordinate hundreds of rural-focused federal support programs.

In light of this year’s devastation in Iowa, Ernst has called for full resources to support Iowans. Ernst has also been visiting the Iowa communities affected and meeting directly with local leaders and emergency response officials to support recovery efforts. She has also been conducting ongoing oversight of FEMA to ensure hurricane recovery efforts remain free from politicization.

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