As Summer of Climate Disasters Approaches, Trump Sacks Head of FEMA
WASHINGTON — A day after the acting director of the agency, Cameron Hamilton, told Congress that the nation needs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), he was today summoned to the headquarters of the Department of Homeland Security and fired, according to reports. The Trump administration, as recently as Tuesday, has suggested that FEMA could be dissolved. In response, Carly Fabian, senior policy advocate with Public Citizen’s Climate Program, issued the following statement:
“The move to decapitate FEMA will be nothing short of devastating for millions of households relying on flood insurance or disaster relief. Removing the head of FEMA as hurricane season rapidly approaches is flabbergasting, even for the Trump administration.
“Dissolving FEMA would leave a void that state governments cannot pretend to fill. Over the next few months, disasters will strike the U.S. It is not a question of if—it is simply a question of where these disasters will happen.
“Gutting FEMA and leaving our fellow citizens to fend for themselves after disasters is unacceptable and inhumane.
“While this administration thrives on chaos, destroying the federal government’s capacity to respond to disasters is a deadly serious issue.”
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