Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

(Washington, D.C.) – This week, following reports that President Trump is working to eliminate Head Start, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) condemned the plan to cut all funding for the Head Start program, which has served nearly 40 million children since its inception in 1965 by providing childcare to low-income families while promoting school readiness for children from birth to age five through services that support early learning and development, health, and family well-being. In a letter to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Director Russell Vought, Congressman Cleaver called on the Administration to maintain funding for the vital services Head Start provides to communities nationwide and provide additional information to justify such draconian cuts.

“I am immensely concerned about a recent AP report of the Trump Administration’s plan to cut all Head Start funding,” Congressman Cleaver wrote. “The abolition of Head Start is antithetical to our country’s decades-long battle in the ‘War on Poverty.’ Often mischaracterized as a ‘handout,’ Head Start is a hand-up for low-income families nationwide.”

“Head Start allows educators who love teaching to teach kids to love learning. In its absence, 790,000 children and their families will enter a failing private childcare market,” Cleaver continued. “Without Head Start, many families unable to afford private childcare would leave their jobs and become full-time caregivers. The remaining families who enter the market will face months-long waitlists and inflated prices”

“Put simply, this is an unforced error. To put families through this manufactured crisis is unconscionable,” Cleaver concluded.

“For decades, Head Start has been a cornerstone of early childhood education, providing resources and support to local children and their families,” said Dr. Toni Sturdivant, director of early learning and Head Start with the Mid-America Regional Council. “The Kansas City region relies on Head Start not only for educational opportunities but also for health, nutrition and family engagement services that create a holistic support system. Without Head Start, many children could face significant setbacks in their developmental milestones and families would have less access to the resources they need to thrive.”

In Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, Head Start serves 2,256 children and employs 500 people. The program enables their employment by providing free/low-cost childcare, prenatal care for expecting mothers, and in-home services. Among Kansas City’s Head Start parents, 1,351 are employed, 169 are in training programs, and 168 are enrolled in school.

The official letter from Rep. Cleaver is available here.

 

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

(Washington, D.C.) – This week, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, and Sean Casten (D-IL) led 14 House Democrats to call on Congress to direct the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to conduct a study of climate-related risks to its loan guarantee programs. In a letter to Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Chairman Steve Womack (R-AR) and Ranking Member Jim Clyburn (D-SC), the lawmakers argued a study was necessary to understand the full impact of climate disasters on the federal housing finance ecosystem and loan performance.

“The Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) mortgage financing programs enable billions of dollars of capital to support the purchase, refinance, construction, and rehabilitation of single- and multi-family housing and assisted housing across the United States,” the lawmakers wrote. “However, due to the increasing frequency and severity of weather disasters caused by climate change, homeowners may find it challenging to make mortgage payments, which could lead to defaulting on FHA-insured loans.”

“Given the FHA’s prominent role in the mortgage market, we respectfully request that the Subcommittee include the following report language,” the lawmakers continued. “This effort is crucial to understanding the impact of climate disaster broadly on the housing finance ecosystem and loan performance, specifically delinquency and default.”

In 2024, 27 climate disaster events in the U.S. resulted in nearly $185 billion in total damages. If homeowners cannot bear the costs of climate disasters and are unable to make payments on mortgages or other loans, these resulting defaults could push losses into different parts of the financial system, which could shift the risk to lenders – or, in the case of FHA-insured mortgages, to the federal government and American taxpayers – triggering shocks to the broader financial system. 

Given these risks, the lawmakers are calling for a study and report on the impacts of climate change on the performance of loans insured under the Federal Housing Administration’s Mutual Mortgage Insurance (MMI) and General Insurance and Special Risk Insurance (GI/SRI) Funds, including the potential for reduced recoveries and higher loss severities on defaulted loans due to the impacts of climate change. Additionally, the lawmakers would like HUD to identify regions of the country where FHA-insured mortgages are most exposed to climate-related risks.

The letter was co-signed by Representatives Cleo Fields (D-LA), Nikema Williams (D-GA), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), André Carson (D-IN), George Whitesides (D-CA), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Sam Liccardo (D-CA), Dave Min (D-CA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), and Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ).

The official letter from lawmakers is available here.

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01)

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Harris, M.D., Chairman of House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration, released the following statement after the Trump Administration halted the construction of a massive offshore wind project off the coast of New York and ordered a review of all existing permits. 

Background: On Wednesday, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum directed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to order foreign energy developer Equinor to cease all construction activities on its Empire Wind project. In a memorandum released by the Washington Free Beacon, Secretary Burgum confirmed the Biden administration green-lit permits for the project and ultimately approved it without conducting proper analysis.

Statement From Congressman Harris:

“I applaud the Trump Administration for exposing the Biden administration’s faulty permitting process and ordering a halt to the offshore wind construction activities of Empire Wind. Offshore wind poses a significant risk to our environment, national security operations, and marine life and its development should be halted. In the last few months in office, the Biden Administration rushed the approval process for permits in Maryland and I look forward to the swift end of all offshore wind construction projects in my district.” 

For media inquiries, please contact Anna Adamian at Anna.A@mail.house.gov

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01)

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Harris, M.D., released the following statement after a Harford County jury found illegal immigrant, Victor Martinez-Hernandez guilty of the first-degree premeditated murder, first-degree rape, and third-degree sexual assault of Rachel Morin.

Statement From Congressman Harris:

“Rachel Morin would be here today had it not been for the dangerous wide-open border policies of the Biden Administration. This verdict is a victory for justice, and it is my hope it will help bring some peace to Rachel’s family as they cherish her memory and life.”

For media inquiries, please contact Anna Adamian at Anna.A@mail.house.gov

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, released the following statement in response to President Trump’s executive order and its illegal attempt to stop the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) from funding National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). This executive order comes on the heels of the President’s earlier attempt to illegally fire CPB board members.

“Let’s be clear: no president is above the law, and no president can weaponize public broadcasting as a personal propaganda machine. Yet once again President Trump is trying to destroy free speech, silence our media, and keep people from the truth,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “Public broadcasting provides people with free community-supported access to news, educational content, and lifesaving emergency alerts. Congress established the Corporation for Public Broadcasting as an independent, nonprofit entity — precisely to protect public media from political interference and ensure Americans have access to fair, factual, and nonpartisan journalism.”

“President Trump is not attacking public media because he cares about the truth,” Matsui continued. “He’s targeting it because it tells the truth — even when it doesn’t serve his interests. Time and again, he has used the power of his office to go after independent outlets that refuse to echo his talking points. I will keep fighting to protect public media and the First Amendment from the Trump Administration’s baseless attacks.” 

The Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 established the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) as a private, non-profit corporation to provide non-commercial educational programming to the public. The CPB is not a federal executive agency subject to presidential authority. CPB provides grants to 1,216 public radio stations and 365 public television stations across the country, to provide nearly 99 percent of the U.S. population with free programming and services.

Congresswoman Matsui is a longtime champion of public broadcasting and freedom of the press. She introduced the Broadcast Freedom and Independence Act, legislation that would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from revoking broadcast licenses or taking action against broadcasters based on the viewpoints they broadcast. The legislation would reaffirm the importance of the independence of the FCC, including that the President should not mandate the FCC’s agenda. Congresswoman Matsui also led a bipartisan letter emphasizing the importance of federal funding for public radio and television.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07), Co-Chair of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, released the following statement rebuking House Republicans’ effort to eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Act waivers for California’s Advanced Clean Trucks, Advanced Clean Cars II, and Heavy-Duty Low NOx Omnibus rules. 

“The evidence is overwhelming: clean air saves lives. That’s why I have spent my career in Congress fighting for stronger emissions standards and cracking down on toxic air pollution,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “For over 50 years, California has used its Clean Air Act authority to lead the way on strong, forward-thinking air pollution standards. Our policies serve as a national blueprint – showing how to cut emissions, drive innovation, create good jobs, lower costs at the pump, and protect families from harmful pollutants. This is a blatant, unlawful attempt to undermine decades of progress and double down on dirty fossil fuels. We must stop wasting everyone’s time and start working for the American people.”

Last month, the Government Accountability Office reiterated a 2023 decision that California’s Clean Air Act waivers were not subject to the Congressional Review Act (CRA). The Senate Parliamentarian has affirmed this determination, ruling that the CRA cannot be used to overturn California’s waivers. 

Congresswoman Matsui has spearheaded efforts in Congress calling for stronger emissions standards for cars and trucks. Under the first Trump Administration, the Congresswoman led opposition to President Trump’s attempts to revoke California’s pollution standards, and the Congresswoman successfully fought for the reinstatement of California’s authority under the Biden Administration.

In March of 2021, she led a letter with 70 of her colleagues urging the Biden Administration to take action to reinstate California’s Clean Air Act waiver and restore the Obama-Biden tailpipe emission and fuel economy standards. In July of 2021, she led a follow up letter with then Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone and 139 of her colleagues to reiterate the importance of reinstating the California Clean Air Act waiver.

                                               

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswomen Doris Matsui (CA-07), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) led 63 House Democrats in a letter to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressing their strong opposition to the elimination of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the unjustified termination of nearly half of the agency’s workforce. 

“Established in 2012, the ACL was created to eliminate fragmentation in federal programs for aging and disability populations, improve access to quality healthcare and long-term services, and ensure consistent policies across federal agencies,” wrote the lawmakers. “ACL’s workforce plays a crucial role in managing and coordinating federal, state, and local programs aimed at helping seniors and people with disabilities remain healthy and thrive in their homes and communities.”

“We are gravely concerned about your arbitrary directive to dismantle the ACL and urgently request answers to understand the wide-ranging consequences this decision will have upon the health and wellbeing of older adults and individuals with disabilities,” the lawmakers continued.

This letter is in response to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) announcement to end ACL’s critical programs across the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This month, a draft budget proposal outlining the proposed elimination of ACL’s Aging Programs and Nutrition and Disability Services Programs from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) was made public. 

This letter has been endorsed by Justice in Aging, National Health Law Program (NHeLP), National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, National Council on Aging, National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA), USAging, Caring Across Generations, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, and National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

Full text of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear Secretary Kennedy:

We are writing to express our strong opposition to the disbandment of the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the closure of ACL’s Regional Offices, and the unjustified termination of nearly half of the agency’s workforce, all of which threaten the delivery of critical services for our nation’s seniors, people with disabilities, families, and caregivers. Millions of Americans rely on the ACL’s supportive services—such as Meals on Wheels, caregiver supports, respite, and adult protective services—to live independently and with dignity. We are gravely concerned about your arbitrary directive to dismantle the ACL and urgently request answers to understand the wide-ranging consequences this decision will have upon the health and wellbeing of older adults and individuals with disabilities.

ACL’s workforce plays a crucial role in managing and coordinating federal, state, and local programs aimed at helping seniors and people with disabilities remain healthy and thrive in their homes and communities. Established in 2012, the ACL was created to eliminate fragmentation in federal programs for aging and disability populations, improve access to quality healthcare and long-term services, and ensure consistent policies across federal agencies. The Older Americans Act (OAA) authorizes funding for various ACL- administered programs and activities, providing nearly $1.9 billion in 2024. The ACL oversees grants for state and community programs on aging, including nutrition services, in-home care, transportation, legal assistance, and research. For example, the ACL manages funding for research, training, and demonstration projects, such as the Alzheimer’s Disease Program, Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Program, Elder Falls Prevention Program, and the Senior Medicare Patrol Program. The ACL is also responsible for funding and overseeing disability programs under the Developmental Disabilities Act to support people with disabilities and their families through the State Councils on Developmental Disabilities and University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs), and to protect people with disabilities from abuse and neglect through the Protection & Advocacy programs. Moreover, the ACL administers the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program and the Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Prevention Program. These programs advocate for the rights of residents in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities and train professionals in elder abuse prevention. Additionally, the ACL manages the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, which offers cost-free, unbiased Medicare guidance to seniors, people with disabilities, and their families. Lastly, The ACL also funds and administers the independent living programs, the state Assistive Technology Programs, and the Aging and Disability Resource Centers to help people get the supports they need to live in the community instead of nursing homes or other institutions.

We understand that HHS has eliminated the staff of entire offices within ACL—seemingly eliminating these offices altogether. For example, the Center for Policy and Evaluation plays a critical role in supporting the Assistant Secretary for Aging in her role as the advisor to the HHS Secretary on aging and disability policy, engaging across HHS to ensure policies consider the needs of these populations, and evaluating the effectiveness of programs consistent with statutory requirements. We understand that all staff in that office have been fired. Finally, we understand that virtually all staff in the Center for Management and Budget, including the budget and grant staff that distribute and monitor funding, have been terminated. Finally, your announcement to eliminate all of ACL’s regional staff will put the direct work with local grantees, particularly the regional staff’s critical coordinating role during natural disasters and other emergencies, at risk.

We are also deeply concerned with your decision to dissolve the ACL and reallocate whichever programs and functions HHS unilaterally decides to keep. We understand from HHS’ April 2nd fact sheet, HHS’ Transformation to Make America Healthy Again, that HHS plans to dismantle unspecified ACL functions across agencies, such as the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). On April 16th, a draft budget proposal from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) was made public, outlining the proposed elimination of the ACL’s Elder Falls Prevention, Long-term Care Ombudsman, Elder Rights Support Activities, etc. Additionally, the proposal recommended eliminating ACL’s Nutrition and Disability Services programs, including the State Councils on Developmental Disabilities, Paralysis Resource Center, Limb Loss Resource Center, etc. Lastly, the proposal suggested shifting the aging programs to CMS, the disability and nutrition programs to ACF, and the National Institute of Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), along with the UCEDD’s, to the Office of Strategy. ACL has been successful in coordinating across the aging and disability networks, ensuring that limited resources can reach most people.

Spreading ACL’s programs across three separate agencies will undermine the efficiencies that have been created by housing these programs together.

Given the severe impacts that ACL’s disbandment and mass staff firings will have on the health of seniors and people with disabilities, we request that you respond to the following questions no later than May 20th:

1. Sec 201 of the OAA establishes the Administration on Aging and mandates that it be led by an Assistant Secretary for Aging. It is the Assistant Secretary’s duty to provide technical assistance and best practices to States, Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), and Aging and Disability Resource Centers, on how to coordinate services with health care organizations.13 With the elimination of the ACL, which point person will uphold the responsibilities previously held by the Assistant Secretary for Aging and oversee the federal, state, and local coordination of aging and disability services?
2. We are deeply troubled by your directive to divide unspecified remaining ACL programs and allocate them across several agencies such as ACF, ASPE, and CMS. This decision is particularly alarming given the recent substantial staff terminations within these very same agencies. Given the insufficient staffing, how will you ensure that these agencies are equipped to take on additional responsibilities under ACL’s new organizational structure? With ACL’s programs spread across multiple departments, how do you plan to ensure effective coordination among them and the entities with which ACL coordinates to promote access to services for people with disabilities (including the Department of Labor, Department of Education, and others)?
3. The proposed OMB draft budget suggests the elimination of ACL’s Aging Programs, Nutrition and Disability Services Programs, and the NIDILRR and the UCEDD’s. It also calls for the elimination of discretionary funding for the Aging and Disability Resource Centers and the State Health Insurance Assistance Program. If these proposed cuts are implemented, what concrete steps will be taken to address the critical needs these programs currently meet for individuals with disabilities, older adults, and their families?
4. The ACL administers billions of dollars in grants annually to state and local governments and nonprofit organizations that offer services and supports for nearly 10.1 million seniors and people with disabilities.14 It has been reported that staff at ACL’s Center for Management and Budget, who are responsible for overseeing ACL’s grants and contracts, have been terminated. How will you guarantee that funds continue to be delivered in a timely manner to the 56 State Units on Aging (SUAs), 614 AAAs, over 280 Title VI Native American Aging Programs, and tens of thousands of local service providers? Can you guarantee that services and supports to disabled people and older adults will not be disrupted?

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, released the following statement after the House passed the Future Uses of Technology Upholding Reliable and Enhanced (FUTURE) Networks Act, her legislation that directs the FCC to bring together experts across industry, public interest, and government to establish a 6G Task Force.

“6G will transform the way we communicate – with each other and the world around us,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “It will form the new foundation to revolutionize connectivity and enable us to leverage and integrate AI, sensing, and computing tools into our communications networks. 6G can support smart cities and supercharge augmented reality applications for education, health care, and manufacturing. That’s why the economic and national security stakes couldn’t be higher. America must lead the race to 6G and ensure it reflects our values of democracy, open markets, and transparency. The FUTURE Networks Act ensures our brightest minds in industry, government, and academia are collaborating on this vital mission to accelerate U.S. leadership in next-generation communications.I applaud my House colleagues for passing this important piece of legislation and urge the Senate to do the same.”

Specifically, the FUTURE Networks Act:

• Requires the FCC to establish a 6G Task Force comprised of industry, government, and public interest representatives to issue a report on:
  • The role of standards setting bodies in 6G
  • Possible use cases for 6G technology
  • Potential threats such as supply chain or cybersecurity, and;
  • Interagency coordination and promoting deployment

Full text of the bill is available HERE. 

                                               

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Sam Graves (6th District of Missouri)

WASHINGTON, DC – The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, led by Chairman Sam Graves (MO-06), approved its budget reconciliation proposal to secure the border, support President Trump’s national security agenda, and modernize America’s air traffic control system. These investments will be more than offset by slashing funding for Green New Deal style programs, requiring electric vehicles (EVs) begin paying for their use of the highway system just like other highway users, and other deficit reduction measures. The T&I Committee will now send its proposal, which reduces the deficit by more than $10 billion, to the House Budget Committee. 

“The Committee took decisive action in support of the President’s America First agenda,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (MO-06). “My proposal cuts wasteful Green New Deal spending and ensures that electric vehicles finally start paying for the maintenance of our roads and bridges. We also approved historic investments in the United States Coast Guard to strengthen our national and border security, and we took equally important strides towards finally modernizing the nation’s outdated air traffic control system. ”

Chairman Graves’ proposal would reduce federal spending and deficits by rescinding unobligated funds and eliminating seven unnecessary Green New Deal style programs created in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Those programs include the Neighborhood Access and Equity Grants, Environmental Review Implementation Funds, and Low-Carbon Transportation Materials Grants under the Federal Highway Administration, among others. 

The proposal ensures that electric vehicles pay to fix our roads and bridges like other vehicles. The Highway Trust Fund (HTF) is funded by user-fees. However, since EVs do not use gas, they do not pay the user fee, and this inequity contributes to a growing shortfall in the funds to repair roads and bridges across the country.

Chairman Graves proposal provides additional investments in the U.S. Coast Guard to protect national security and secure our maritime borders. It gives the Coast Guard the tools it needs to better protect our borders, stopping illegal immigrants and drugs from entering the country, and protectour national and economic security in the Arctic, where competitors such as China and Russia are aggressively expanding their activities.

It also invests in the improved safety and reliability of America’s air traffic control (ATC) system, replacing outdated ATC technology, modernizing the ATC system, and enhancing the hiring of air traffic controllers following several aviation tragedies in recent months, which are priorities of the President and DOT Secretary Duffy.

More information from yesterday’s Committee markup of the proposal is available here.

 

 

 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Bennie G Thompson (D-MS)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Reps. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA), Dina Titus (D-NV), and Tim Kennedy (D-NY) announced the leadership and membership of the Congressional Disaster Equity and Building Resilience Caucus for the 119^th Congress. The Caucus, which was created two years ago, promotes the benefits of resilience and the need for equity in the country’s disaster preparedness and response infrastructure. Research has shown that racial minorities, rural areas, low-income communities, Tribes, individuals with disabilities, seniors, and children are all more likely to experience the most devastating impacts of disasters.

Reps. Thompson, Carter, Titus, and Kennedy will serve together as co-Chairs of the Caucus. They, along with Caucus members, aim to use the Caucus to advance conversations about how Congress can make disaster outcomes more equitable and strengthen communities. Since it was formed in 2023, the Caucus has held events with senior officials from the Biden White House and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and convened panels with key stakeholders to address urgent challenges and drive actionable solutions.

“As natural disasters become more severe and frequent, we’ve seen evidence showing that low-income communities and communities of color get left behind after disasters strike. That is inexcusable and unsustainable – and it’s something we must all address,” said Rep. Bennie G. Thompson. “Whether you can fully recover after a disaster should not depend on your background or where you live. Having frank discussions with my colleagues and disaster recovery experts on how we can do better is even more critical today as we see the Trump administration not only calling for the elimination of FEMA, but seemingly working around the clock to erase any progress that has been made in recent years to reduce systemic barriers to recovery. The Federal government must do better.”

“Storms don’t discriminate, and disaster relief shouldn’t either. Yet there have been long-standing inequities in disaster relief, especially for low-income, rural, and other minority communities. Louisiana knows this all too well, particularly as we prepare to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. I’m proud to co-chair the Congressional Disaster Equity and Building Resilience Caucus, which will advocate for disaster preparedness and recovery that better serves everyone. I look forward to working with the Caucus on how we better prepare for and recover from natural disasters,” said Rep. Troy A. Carter, Sr.

“As the frequency and severity of natural disasters increase, it is more important than ever to ensure that every community has access to the tools it needs to prepare and recover from extreme weather events. Disasters wreak havoc on red states and blue states across the country. As a senior member of the House subcommittee overseeing emergency management and as the Co-Chair for the Disaster Equity and Building Resilience Caucus, I’ve worked with FEMA and my Congressional colleagues to push for equitable disaster relief and resilience across the board. Together we can work to close the recovery gap and help every affected community and family rebuild,” said Rep. Dina Titus.

“Western New Yorkers know all too well the disproportionate impacts of extreme weather on our most vulnerable communities,” said Rep. Tim Kennedy. “We saw this firsthand during Winter Storm Elliott, a historic blizzard in December 2022 that took the lives of 47 individuals in my community. As these incidents become more frequent and more severe, we must ensure equity is at the forefront of the fight to improve disaster response, harden infrastructure, and build more resilient communities. I look forward to engaging in productive conversations as Co-Chair of the Disaster Equity and Building Resilience Caucus about the importance of parity in federal disaster assistance for extreme cold weather. I want to thank Ranking Member Thompson for his continuous and steadfast leadership in Congress to make disaster recovery and response more equitable.”

In recent years, the Committee on Homeland Security held hearings on the issue of equity in disaster preparedness. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) also produced a report on disaster equity and barriers to recovery. Both led to legislation authored by Rep. Bennie G. Thompson to address systemic inequities in the Federal government’s response to disasters and how it distributes assistance. The Biden administration prioritized addressing equity in emergency management; however, those initiatives seem to have been canceled, with all evidence of them removed from White House and FEMA websites.  

Additional Caucus members include Reps. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Al Green (D- TX), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Terri Sewell (D-AL), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Lou Correa (D-CA), Ritchie Torres (D-NY), Robert Garcia (D-CA), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Rob Menendez (D-NJ), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Pablo Hernández (D-PR), Julie Johnson (D-TX), LaMonica Mclver (D-NJ), Nellie Pou (D-NJ).