‘We Need To Do Better’: Vance Torches FEMA For Hamstringing Local Hurricane Recovery Efforts

Vice President J.D. Vance torched the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Monday after he said it crippled local recovery efforts following the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene.

Vance made his first domestic trip as vice president to Damascus, Va. to witness first-hand the devastation that ravaged southern states as a result of the hurricane in September. During the visit, the vice president criticized what he said was the “bureaucratic inadequacy” of former President Joe Biden’s administration. He called on the federal government to ramp up its efforts to help Americans in need.

“Unfortunately, it’s just a perfect example of the bureaucratic inadequacy of the last administration and why we need to do better in this country. The thing that I heard most when I was in western North Carolina before the inauguration, but it was after the election, is that there are people who wanted to put trailers or other temporary housing in particular areas of North Carolina, but they couldn’t because FEMA had designated these areas to be ineligible for the type of assistance that would allow temporary housing in the first place. That’s another example of the sort of thing that’s broken about the federal response.” (REPORT: FEMA Supervisor Told Employees To ‘Avoid Homes Advertising Trump’)

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Vance said the federal government failed Americans impacted by the hurricane, while local and state governments successfully worked “at breakneck speed” to provide assistance. During an interview Sunday with CBS News’ Margaret Brennan, he blamed the agency’s “bureaucratic red tape” for preventing FEMA workers from providing the necessary aid to Americans impacted by the hurricane.

Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm, made landfall in Florida on Sept. 26 and left behind a death toll of over 230 in parts of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.

FEMA faced scrutiny for its delayed responses, lack of available personnel and its dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion to both hurricanes Helene and Milton. As Helene ravaged several areas of the U.S., the agency named “equity” as one of its “ambitious goals” as they addressed disaster relief under the Biden administration.

As Hurricane Milton caused additional destruction in October, the agency was short on resources after spending nearly $1 billion on migrant services and $12 million on a grant program aimed at increasing equity in disaster responses for minority communities. As few as 1,217 FEMA workers, which is less than 10% of their personnel, were available to respond to the storm and other disasters in early October.

President Donald Trump, a harsh critic of FEMA’s response to recent natural disasters, signed an executive order Friday intended to review the agency and “drastically improve” its responses to natural disasters. The president hinted at “reforming,” overhauling” or even “getting rid of FEMA.”

FEMA did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

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