[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 26 (Friday, February 7, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H572]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              FUNDING FREEZE IMPACTS ON DISASTER RECOVERY

  (Ms. TOKUDA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, last week, President Trump issued an illegal 
and unconstitutional order for the Federal Government to halt the flow 
of Federal funds. Shortly after, FEMA shut down its online portal used 
to distribute disaster assistance across the country.
  As if that wasn't enough, President Trump wants the Federal 
Government to dissolve FEMA and push disaster response and recovery to 
the States.
  These policies are not just alarming, they are downright terrifying 
for communities in Maui, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, and now 
California, still trying to recover from recent disasters.
  Ending FEMA will be catastrophic for small and rural communities and 
States across the country that do not have the financial and human 
resources to quickly and effectively respond to major disasters.
  In their times of uncertainty and need, Americans deserve to know 
that the Federal Government will be there for them, no matter where 
they live.
  They look to their government for help. Instead, Trump wants to 
abandon them. This is wrong, this is cruel, and I demand my colleagues, 
especially those representing disaster-impacted communities, oppose any 
funding freeze or delays and any efforts to dissolve FEMA. Americans 
deserve better.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from 
engaging in personalities toward the President.

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