Representative Greg Stanton (D-AZ) responded to President Donald Trump's firing of multiple Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employees who claim downsizing the agency reduces its ability to respond to disasters.
Nearly 200 past and present FEMA employees signed an open letter they dubbed "the Katrina Declaration," in which they argue that budget cuts and Acting Administrator David Richardson's lack of experience are negatively impacting FEMA's ability to act, comparing it to the controversy surrounding Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts in 2005.
The Trump Administration placed approximately 30 employees on leave in response, which Rep. Stanton criticized in a statement.
"Our top priority is and should always be the safety and security of the American people," Rep. Stanton said, adding, "This administration is gambling with our ability to respond to a disaster — in the middle of hurricane season, no less."
The Arizona Congressman further said placing the employees on leave is "Putin-like" and vowed to return to Washington, D.C., to protest the actions.
"I'm flying back to Washington to expose these attacks on public safety and free speech, to hold this administration accountable, and to help lead this fight in Congress," Stanton concluded.
Additionally, the Arizona Congressman referred to the bipartisan FEMA Act of 2025, of which he is a cosponsor. A major tenet of Stanton's bill is restoring FEMA's independence from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and placing it directly under the President's control.
Other provisions include a streamlined application process for disaster victims, eliminating the need for local governments to front costs and wait months for reimbursement, and other measures ensuring greater transparency and state control over projects.
"FEMA isn't perfect, but the answer isn't to dismantle it — it's to put experienced leadership and constructive policies in place that make it work better for people during times of crisis," Stanton continued, adding, "That's why I've introduced a bipartisan bill with Chairman Sam Graves and Ranking Member Rick Larsen to strengthen FEMA. And we're going to redouble our efforts to get it passed when Congress comes back next week."
