From PBS NewsHour.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., blasted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Tuesday over the FEMA disaster funds approval process in an oversight hearing, saying she has “failed.”
“You have a policy right now that anything over $100,000 has to go through your desk for approval,” Tillis said in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.
“If you’re requesting a review of $100,000 and up, then it begs the question why? Why would you be involved in that? Why would that be a policy?” said Tillis, who stopped Noem from answering while he was delivering a “performance review.”
The senator’s state of North Carolina was devastated by Hurricane Helene in 2024, which caused an estimated $60 billion in damage. Last month, it was announced that the state would get $92 million for Helene recovery after months of delays due to the $100,000 rule implemented by Noem last year.
“The Homeland Security Act of 2002 expressly prohibits the Secretary of Homeland Security from restricting or diverting FEMA resources from the agency’s mission. Based on your disaster response, the chart that I just showed you, I have reason to believe that you’re violating the law either knowingly or unknowingly,” the senator said.
Noem’s agency has been roiled by turmoil and public outcry in recent days. Greater scrutiny by Democrats into the ways the Trump administration has been carrying out his mass deportation agenda led to a lapse in the agency’s funding and partial government shutdown.
Congressional lawmakers have yet to reach a deal to fund the department, though there are areas of bipartisan agreement, such as a body camera requirement for immigration enforcement agents.
Noem will also field questions Wednesday from the House Judiciary Committee.
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