Hirono, senators press FEMA on disaster victim data, mass firings and funding freezes

US Sen. Mazie Hirono and 10 Senate colleagues are demanding answers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency about reports of mass personnel firings, grant freezes and the involvement of the Department of Government Efficiency in handling disaster victim data.

Led by Sens. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), the lawmakers raised concerns about FEMA’s lack of response to a previous inquiry regarding who has access to disaster victim data and what safeguards are in place. They also questioned how the agency’s workforce reductions and funding suspensions could impact disaster response and recovery efforts.

“Our constituents—rebuilding from severe flooding in Vermont, Minnesota, Connecticut and Massachusetts, as well as catastrophic wildfires in Hawaiʻi, New Mexico, Oregon and California—have experienced firsthand the shortcomings of the federal approach to disaster resilience and recovery,” the senators wrote in a letter to FEMA’s acting administrator, Cameron Hamilton.

The letter follows reports that FEMA fired more than 200 probationary employees, including recent hires and promoted staff, despite ongoing staffing shortages. The administration claims only “non-mission critical” personnel were affected, but lawmakers say they have not received evidence to support that assertion.

“In addition to mass firings, stakeholders have informed us that the administration has suspended disbursement of certain FEMA grants,” the senators wrote. “These apparent freezes have left frontline organizations in limbo and our communities in jeopardy.”

The senators requested FEMA respond to their previous inquiry and answer new questions by March 31, including details on the authority under which employees were terminated, the impact on FEMA’s operations and a list of frozen grant programs and affected recipients.

In addition to Hirono, Welch and Padilla, the letter was signed by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).