Support S.373 - Outlaw Discriminatory Disaster Relief

Today I take pen in hand to write and urge you to support S. 373 recently introduced: The bipartisan Stopping Political Discrimination in Disaster Assistance Act is a crucial piece of legislation that aims to ensure no American affected by natural disasters faces discrimination based on their political beliefs when seeking federal assistance. It’s unacceptable that the Trump Administration constantly threatens to withhold disaster relief from states that didn’t vote for him or disagree with his policies and tariff wars. On the flip side of the coin it’s equally unacceptable that a FEMA employee was terminated last year for directing workers to deny aid to Hurricane Helene survivors who supported the Trump campaign. This type of political discrimination has no place in the provision of disaster relief, which should be distributed solely based on need and without regard for an individual's political affiliation. This is the United States, and the whole idea of mutual aid across state boundaries is part of who we are, although there seem to be some that have forgotten this. It’s painful to accept that we have to spell this out in law, when it was an accepted norm until just the last few years. It’s also no coincidence that climate change has brought on more disasters than in any previous decade, a symptom of the wider climate instability, and this has prompted a higher need for relief — some in places that were deemed relatively low risk from wildfires, floods, and similar disasters. By prohibiting such discrimination in federal law, this bill upholds the principle that government assistance in times of crisis must be available to all citizens equally, regardless of their political views. Recent natural disasters like Hurricane Helene have underscored the urgency of providing aid to impacted communities swiftly and impartially. Passing this legislation would safeguard that process and ensure fair treatment for all Americans when they are most vulnerable. I urge you to lend your full support to the Stopping Political Discrimination in Disaster Assistance Act. Enshrining this principle in law is vital to maintaining the integrity of federal disaster response efforts and ensuring equitable access to crucial resources during times of hardship and recovery. Thank you for your attention to this matter.