Natural Disasters Are Rising, FEMA Is Falling: Respect Science, Reverse Cuts

President Trump’s cuts to FEMA and disaster preparedness, along with proposals to dismantle flood resilience programs, are a direct threat to American lives. As historic floods ravaged Texas in July 2025, claiming over 120 lives and leaving more than 160 missing, FEMA had already lost a third of its workforce and months of critical grant programs were delayed. Former FEMA officials warn that a backlog of funding requests is stalling disaster response in 82 percent of U.S. counties, leaving communities dangerously exposed when multiple catastrophes strike. This is not hypothetical. It is happening now. Droughts, hurricanes, wildfires, and floods are intensifying due to climate change. Experts agree that preparedness saves lives and property. FEMA’s Mitigation Directorate shows that every dollar spent on flood mitigation can save up to six dollars in future response and recovery. But Trump’s cuts have slashed that capacity, undermining programs that elevate homes, create shelters, and enforce no-build zones in high-risk areas. When state agencies are forced to choose who gets help, lives hang in the balance. We demand immediate and decisive action. Fully restore FEMA staffing and funding. Reinstate disaster mitigation grants and unblock stalled applications. Congress must reject the politics that put ideology over preparedness. Our nation cannot afford hollow promises or empty slogans. We need real investment in resilience, not excuses. Secure America’s future before the next disaster becomes the worst one yet.