Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is facing criticism for the federal response to the floods in Texas.
The backlash especially stems from the Trump administration’s gutting of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which leads the front line federal response to natural disasters like in Texas.
Noem enacted at the agency underneath DHS sweeping cuts that now requires her personal signature before any funds can be released if the grant request is more than $100,000.
As flash floods devastated central Texas last week, FEMA lamented that it ran into bureaucratic obstacles that four insiders told CNN prevented them from more swiftly responding to the disaster.
But Noem is pushing back on this claim.
DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said the secretary did not need to initially authorize additional FEMA resources to help respond to the floods because it used other DHS search and rescue assets – including tapping assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection.
She said as more need for FEMA resources came up, the requests then immediately received Noem’s approval.
‘FEMA is shifting from bloated, DC-centric dead weight to a lean, deployable disaster force that empowers state actors to provide relief for their citizens,’ McLaughlin said.
‘The old processes are being replaced because they failed Americans in real emergencies for decades,’ she added.
The FEMA insiders who spoke with CNN said that the recent changes have stripped the agency of its autonomy – especially under emergency situations where every moment can make a difference.
Officials claims the $100,000 threshold for special secretary permission is essentially ‘pennies’ when it comes to the soaring cost of emergency response, which can routinely inch its way into the billions.
A longtime FEMA official told the outlet: ‘We were operating under a clear set of guidance: lean forward, be prepared, anticipate what the state needs, and be ready to deliver it. That is not as clear of an intent for us at the moment.’
Noem visited Kerrville, Texas on Saturday to observe destruction and speak with local leaders about search and rescue efforts.
She held a press conference about the flooding along the Guadalupe River that has left more than 100 people dead and the search continues for at least 170 missing people.