The latest tornadoes devastating towns in Missouri and Kentucky should motivate Congress to immediately codify President Donald Trump’s actions overhauling the Federal Emergency Management Agency and putting states in charge of their own emergency planning. The longer Congress waits to act, the longer Americans suffer.
States have increasingly relied on the federal government for financial aid in the aftermath of disasters since President Jimmy Carter created FEMA in 1979 via executive order. There has been an increase in declared FEMA disasters and mismanagement of funds and resources. From 1953 to 1978, there was an average of 26 declared disasters per year. From 1979 through 2024, there was an average of 95 disasters declared per year—an increase of 265%.
States have become too comfortable relying on federal money to pay for disaster relief.
To begin reforming…
