Overview
- On Wednesday Cameron Hamilton, the president’s nominee to be FEMA administrator, testified before the Senate Homeland Security Committee about running an agency that has suffered mass staff departures and operational strain.
- Democratic senators cited a POLITICO/E&E analysis showing the administration approved 89% of disaster requests from Republican-led states and 23% from Democratic-led states and said the gap suggests political influence over aid decisions.
- Hamilton said partisanship should not affect disaster assistance, expressed doubt the president would deny aid solely for partisan reasons, and backed Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s decision to rehire several hundred former FEMA workers.
- If confirmed Hamilton promised a major IT overhaul at FEMA and to deliver a 30-day report outlining specific reforms to strengthen response and recovery operations.
- The committee did not vote on his nomination and senators also pressed OMB nominees about proposed grant rules and outstanding GAO audits that Democrats say risk increasing political control over federal funding.