Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has told the Trump administration that preparations are underway to "eliminate" the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
It was a quick comment on Monday with no related lead-in, according to The Hill. President Donald Trump responded, "That's great. Great job," in what seemed to be a reaction to her preceding comments on border security.
Trump said previously that he does not have a favorable view of FEMA and has considered its elimination.
Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., posted on X his response to Noem's pronouncement statement on eliminating FEMA.
"Vermont has been hit hard by flooding the last two years, and I'm the first person to say that we need to make improvements to FEMA. But eliminating it altogether would make disasters more deadly and destructive and make it much harder for communities to recover," he said.
Trump signed an executive order last week, setting the stage for a major overhaul of federal disaster relief programs.
It reads in part, "This Executive Order delivers on President Trump’s commitment to shift power from Washington to the American people."
The order laid the foundation for greater state and local control of emergencies.
"The Order enables state and local governments to better understand, plan for, and address the needs of their citizens by reducing the complexity of federal preparedness and response policies."
There is no official closing or end date announced for FEMA or any other federal office or department that responds to disasters.
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Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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