Emergency Management: June 9, 2025. We cannot defund disaster relief efforts. Representative April McClain Delaney

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In the wake of historic floods that devastated Mountain Maryland, the Administration has— nonsensically—continued to defund the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). As some of us have come to know personally, weather emergencies don’t care about your zip code, personal circumstances or party affiliation. Especially in rural communities, FEMA is there to fill gaps for services local governments cannot provide. With floods, tornadoes, hurricanes and wildfires increasing each year, disaster relief isn’t optional, it’s a critical part of our country’s infrastructure.

Click to watch my speech on the House floor in defense of Allegany County and our country’s disaster relief agencies

However, recently, the head of FEMA admitted he did not know that “hurricane season” existed. After extreme blowback, he then reversed to say that he was making a joke. But this is no time for jokes—we need leadership. Sadly, as reported in the Washington Post this morning, “Hundreds of Federal Emergency Management Agency veterans have left the agency, and those who remain will no longer go door to door in search of disaster victims who need financial aid.”

I am all for reforming FEMA to make it work better for the American people, but defunding the agency and laying off federal workers with decades of institutional knowledge will only cause chaos, destruction, and God forbid, loss of life. I deeply believe that this cause could and should be bipartisan.

I will keep fighting for Marylanders’ access to federal disaster relief and call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the same. 

Warmest regards,

April McClain Delaney

Member of Congress

 Washington, DC Office | 1130 Longworth HOB | Washington, DC 20515 | Phone: (202) 225-2721

Frederick District Office | 30 W. Patrick Street, Ste 505 | Frederick, Maryland 21701 | Phone: (301) 926-030