10/08/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/08/2025 14:40
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following statement after the Trump Administration canceled $11 billion in FEMA disasterpayments owed to states:
"Donald Trump's decision to cancel $11 billion in disaster payments is a gut punch to states like New Jersey that have already paid their dues and are still waiting to be made whole. This is the same hairbrained crowd that pulled half of FEMA's staff to ICE during hurricane season, the same leadership that got caught by GAO breaking federal law six times for withholding shelter funds, and the same officials who think disaster survivors should have to carry around their birth certificate in order to receive food and water from the Red Cross in the aftermath of a hurricane. I've already called for Secretary Noem and Acting Administrator Richardson to be fired, and this latest stunt proves exactly why they don't belong anywhere near a disaster response.
"New Jersey knows what happens when FEMA runs on fumes and excuses instead of doing its job. Thousands of Garden Staters are still picking up the pieces from the pandemic and Hurricanes Sandy and Ida. I'm going to keep pushing for accountability until FEMA is run by professionals again and Americans get the relief they're owed."
Pallone led a September 25 letter calling for the removal of Secretary Noem and Acting Administrator Richardson after GAO found FEMA violated federal law six times by withholding shelter funds. Earlier, in August, he warned Secretary Noem that pulling half of FEMA's staff to ICE during hurricane season would kneecap disaster response. He's continued pressing DHS on delays that are leaving states in limbo.