Republican senator and vice presidential candidate JD Vance called the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s spending actions a “disgrace” roughly a week after he skipped the vote that would have provided the agency with more funds.
Last week, the House of Representatives and the Senate approved a continuing resolution, which extends FEMA funding through December 20 and permits the agency to access those funds more quickly. However, FEMA faces a multibillion-dollar deficit, even after imposing new spending restrictions last month. The agency is forgoing some ongoing rebuilding projects related to disaster repair to be better financially equipped to face immediate needs related to natural disasters.
Vance’s Stance Against FEMA
Former President Donald Trump, Vance’s running mate, has criticized FEMA for spending money to help undocumented migrants, claiming it’s the reason that the agency doesn’t have more money to help Hurricane Helene victims. When asked about the president’s stance on FEMA funding, Vance echoed Trump’s sentiments and said FEMA should prioritize Americans over migrants.
“First of all, the idea that FEMA is running out of money is something that the leadership of the Harris administration has said,” Vance said at a campaign event in Lindale, Geogia, on Friday.
“Especially if there’s another disaster, they’ve said they might have to go back to the well, and I think a lot of Americans are saying, ‘well, how can we afford to give billions of dollars to illegal immigrants in this country, but we’ve got to go back to the well to provide disaster relief for our own citizens?’ That’s a disgrace.”
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FEMA has denied that disaster relief money has been used to support international efforts or border-related issues in a government webpage addressing Hurricane Helene rumors.
“This is false. No money is being diverted from disaster response needs. FEMA’s disaster response efforts and individual assistance is funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a dedicated fund for disaster efforts. Disaster Relief Fund money has not been diverted to other, non-disaster related efforts,” the website said.
However, Vance said the federal government was sending “billions of dollars to illegal aliens.”
“I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that our own government is sending billions of dollars to illegal aliens when there are hardworking Americans,” he said. “We’ve got to focus on them. Focus on our American citizens who have had their lives destroyed by these terrible storms, that’s what Kamala Harris ought to be doing, and it’s a damn shame that she’s not doing her job.”
FEMA Scrutiny
Scrutiny about FEMA spending has increased in recent weeks after FEMA spent money on assisting communities across the country dealing with an influx of migrants through its Shelter and Services Program (SSP). The program had a budget of $640 million for the 2024 Fiscal Year, which ended on September 30.
Trump has criticized the SSP, which helps local governments and nonprofits support migrants. However, FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security have denied that any FEMA disaster relief funds have gone to the program.
“The Shelter and Services Program (SSP) is a completely separate, appropriated grant program that was authorized and funded by Congress and is not associated in any way with FEMA’s disaster-related authorities or funding streams,” a DHS spokesperson previously told Newsweek.
FEMA was separately given $20 billion for the disaster relief fund as part of the short-term spending bill passed at the end of September.
However, claims are now surfacing that FEMA doesn’t have enough money to assist those in need after Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic damage across several states, including North Carolina.
FEMA Director of Public Affairs Jaclyn Rothenberg told Newsweek that FEMA has enough funding to support the Hurricane Helene response and any subsequent disasters through December 20.
Why Didn’t Vance Vote?
Many Republicans voted against the continuing resolution, but Vance was not among them. He didn’t attend the September 25 vote, instead attending a campaign rally in Michigan. The Washington Post reported last week that Vance has missed 38 votes over the past few months due to his busy campaigning schedule with Trump.
Vance isn’t the only politician to miss votes while campaigning for office.
In 2020, Harris, a senator at the time and campaigning with President Joe Biden, didn’t vote for the continuing resolution passed in September and included a similar funding structure for FEMA. She also didn’t vote for a continuing appropriations act in November 2019, when she was running for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Even if Vance had voted, his vote wouldn’t have been a deciding factor in the continuing resolution.
Several Congress members have since called for Congress to reconvene to reconsider aid regarding Hurricane Helene’s impacts, including Republican Senator Rick Scott, who voted against the continuing resolution that included aid for FEMA. Vance has also spoken in favor of Congress reconvening to approve funding for hurricane relief, according to a report from Virginia news outlet Cardinal News.