Overview

• Rep. Jared Moskowitz testified before the House Rules Committee, warning that FEMA is likely to fail during the upcoming hurricane season due to severe budget cuts and paused grants.
• Key FEMA programs, including the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) initiative, have been terminated, and nearly $10 billion in disaster aid remains frozen.
• Moskowitz criticized the Department of Homeland Security's oversight, likening FEMA's inefficiency to Newark airport's logistical issues and calling for the agency's removal from DHS control.
• He highlighted the financial risks for hurricane- and tornado-prone states like Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, which could face bankruptcy without timely federal aid.
• The legislation introduced by Moskowitz and Rep. Byron Donalds seeks to address FEMA's structural and operational challenges amid growing bipartisan concern over its readiness.