White House is evaluating the future of FEMA. After Helene, NC governor has recommended fixes.
Gov. Josh Stein signed the Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 (Part 1) into law. (Photo via the Governor's Press Office)
Under the Trump administration, the future of the U.S. disaster management agency is far from certain.
The White House has established a council to study the future of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The president has on multiple occasions said he would like to see it abolished altogether. And when the interim head of the agency told Congress earlier this month that he did not want to see it eliminated, he was swiftly ousted.
North Carolina's Gov. Josh Stein has made it clear he'd like to see changes to FEMA, too. On Friday, he put those thoughts in a formal letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security — outlining a series of recommendations as western North Carolina continues to recover from Hurricane Helene.
'There is no doubt that FEMA could be better and faster,' Stein wrote. 'But let us improve it, not abolish it. As governor of a state vulnerable to hurricanes, flooding and other extreme weather, I know we cannot afford for FEMA to be eliminated.'
Among Stein's suggestions: create a block grant program to let the agency get money out the door quickly and easily. States could submit pre-approved plans ahead of disasters in order to track spending.
And he wants FEMA money to immediately be able to go toward permanent repairs. In almost all cases, aid from the agency can only be used for temporary or pre-storm condition repairs.
As previously reported by NC Newsline, Stein's administration asked FEMA earlier this year for money to build permanent housing. It was rejected, with a FEMA official citing the fact that 'alternative housing options in North Carolina exist.'
The governor also recommended that the agency move away from reimbursement programs. FEMA's current model forces 'cash-strapped local governments to put up funding' for projects, Stein wrote, slowing recovery and often leaving those governments in financial straits.
And he recommended that the agency make it easier for individuals and households to apply for aid. FEMA should consider a 'common application' that allows a person to more easily apply to aid across multiple programs and departments, he wrote.
As it rebuilds from the deadliest storm in state history, North Carolina has at times found itself at odds with FEMA under the new administration. The agency denied a request to extend full reimbursement on debris cleanup earlier this year; the state has appealed that decision.
Stein is not the first North Carolina official to recommend fixes for FEMA. U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, a Republican who represents the region hardest hit by Helene, has sent a list of proposals of his own. But Edwards later cancelled a planned press conference after the White House said it needed more time to review his recommendations, the Asheville Citizen Times reported.
Among Edwards' recommendations: forgiving loans to families and small businesses, loosening building codes and reimbursement for property owners and the state.
And last week, more than 80 lawmakers from both parties — including Edwards and North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis — signed a letter calling on FEMA to begin spending money already approved by Congress for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program. As with Stein, the letter called for improved programming from the agency.
While the program 'has room for improvement,' the lawmakers wrote, FEMA and Congress should work together 'to improve the application review and funding distribution process to more effectively reduce the costs disasters pose to our communities, economies, and livelihoods.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lackawanna County election board certifies primary results
SCRANTON — The Lackawanna County Board of Elections certified Friday the results of last month's municipal primary, making those results official. Democratic Commissioner Bill Gaughan, Republican Commissioner Chris Chermak and county Judge Terrence R. Nealon, who filled the election board vacancy created by former Democratic Commissioner Matt McGloin's late February resignation, voted unanimously to certify the results of the primary held May 20. The results and other election-related information is available online at The last day for unregistered voters who want to vote in November's municipal election to register is Oct. 20. The election itself is Nov. 4. — JEFF HORVATH
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Hillary Clinton says she's not sure if America will remain the world's top superpower
Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton answering questions during a conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 8, 2025. (John Cole/Capital-Star) Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a guest appearance in Philadelphia on Sunday morning to participate in a Q&A session at America in One Room/Pennsylvania. Attendees were told that a special guest would be speaking to them, but the crowd was kept in the dark until Clinton took the stage. For 30 minutes, she responded to questions on a variety of foreign affairs topics at the gathering aimed at encouraging civic engagement and finding solutions to the nation's most pressing challenges. Clinton told the room that she's 'intrigued' and 'excited' by what they were doing. '(I'm) hopeful that it can serve as a model for a lot of the tough issues we face,' Clinton said. Once the Q&A began, one particular question gave her pause: Is the United States 'really the top superpower in the world, or are we just the top consumers?' 'I think we still are (the top superpower), but I'm not sure we will remain,' Clinton said. 'Because we are giving away our power in ways that I think are very damaging to our leadership position in the world.' The former first lady, who served as U.S. secretary of state during President Barack Obama's first term, was the Democratic Party's nominee for president in 2016, losing to Republican Donald Trump. She didn't mention President Trump by name, but appeared to criticize his administration's foreign policy. 'I want us to remain the leading superpower. I want us to remain the leading example of a society that can work together, achieve things of importance together, get along with each other across partisan lines,' Clinton said. 'And I know we're in a big battle in our country right now, because other people have a very different view, a view of dominance and a view of power for the sake of power.' Clinton argued that if the United States cedes to someone else as the 'superpower' of the world, it would create a vacuum filled by bad actors and ultimately, lead to a world that is less safe, less fair, and less prosperous. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE However, she said she also fears if the United States no longer leads it could also create spheres of influence for other countries to step into and become dominant. 'You know, there are some people, frankly, who advocate let China control Asia, let Russia control Europe. We'll just stay over here,' Clinton said. 'That was exactly what was said in the 1930s and it did not work out very well.' 'So, I think we have to learn from history,' she added. 'Not be imprisoned by it, but learn from it.' When responding to questions about America's foreign policy in Asia, Clinton said that she believes the United States needs to make it clear to China that if they were to invade Taiwan, it would be crossing a red line. 'We don't want a conflict. That would be the last thing we want,' Clinton said. 'But Taiwan is one of those lines.' Without saying Trump by name, Clinton also criticized the current administration, saying she believes that the United States is not pursuing what she believes is the smartest strategy with Taiwan. She also blasted Trump's tariff policies with China. On May 12, Trump announced that he lowered the 145% tariffs on Chinese goods to 30% for 90 days in an effort to allow for trade talks, while China also reduced its taxes on U.S. products from 125% to 10%, according to the Associated Press. 'We are crippling our economy,' Clinton said. 'We are affecting their economy, maybe not as much as it will eventually affect our economy.' Clinton referenced California's Long Beach port being 'largely empty' right now as a sign that the impact of the tariffs will be felt over the next few months. 'They haven't quite kicked in yet, so we are hurting ourselves economically,' she said. Many Democrats, including Gov. Josh Shapiro, have been vocal against the tariffs that Trump has put in place. However, Republicans, including Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, believe the tariffs will benefit American manufacturing. When addressing a question about whether or not the United States needs to rethink the balance between defense spending and investing in diplomacy, Clinton said the country needs both. The Trump administration's effort to slash government spending via the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led to programs like USAID being cut, which has resulted in pushback from Democratic lawmakers. She also referenced the current war in Ukraine. 'The Russian invasion of Ukraine, a totally aggressive, unprovoked effort to conquer and take over another country, is absolutely against our interests,' Clinton said. 'It's against our interests because we do not want to see aggression rewarded, because you don't know where it will stop, and you don't know who will come after you, or people that you're connected with or that you're invested in.' During the 2024 presidential election, Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party's nominee, differed on the way they believe the United States should handle the war in Ukraine. Trump campaigned on ending the war in Ukraine on 'day one,' if elected, although an agreement to end the conflict has not yet been reached. More than 150,000 people living in Pennsylvania are Ukrainians and Ukrainian Americans, making the Keystone State the home to the second largest population in the nation. Clinton acknowledged that part of the challenge is ending the conflict after it starts and referenced how President Bill Clinton's administration played a role in ending conflicts in Northern Ireland and the Balkans. 'You have to look at all the different levers of power and utilize them appropriately,' Clinton said. 'Where does diplomacy work? Where does military force play a role? And what can we do to promote our values by working with people who want to have freedom and democracy.' On a question about defense spending, Clinton warned that cybersecurity is 'clearly one of our biggest threats' currently facing the United States. She said she believes that deterrence is what is needed right now in the world, arguing it would send a message to the United States' adversaries. 'We know that our adversaries, primarily Russia and China, have the capacity to cripple our infrastructure,' Clinton said. 'We have the capacity to cripple their infrastructure.' 'We have to be better prepared and better able to deter them than they can hurt us,' she added. Sunday was the final day of the gathering at the Sheraton Hotel in Center City. Several Pennsylvania elected officials participated in the multi-day conference, including Gov. Shapiro, House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia), and state Sen. Joe Picozzi (R-Philadelphia). SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Boston Globe
17 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Once champions of fringe causes, now in a ‘trap of their own making'
Investigations into Epstein's 2019 death in a Manhattan prison cell found serious management errors but no evidence of criminality. Yet Trump, once a friend of the financier accused of sexually abusing dozens of teenage girls, has long suggested Epstein was silenced by shadowy clients of his sex trafficking ring. In a 2023 episode of his popular podcast, Bongino, now the bureau's No. 2 official, implored listeners, 'Please do not let that story go.' Advertisement They obliged. A Trump-allied podcaster suggested the FBI leaders were 'beholden to some unseen powers.' A former FBI agent who has been critical of the bureau posted a parody of a law firm ad with Bongino standing next to a sign that read 'Trust Me & Bro Consulting.' Tucker Carlson, a friend of Bongino's, said Trump appointees were 'making a huge mistake, promising to reveal things and then not revealing them.' Alex Jones, a founding father of the modern conspiracy movement, referred to Patel's own handling of the Epstein case as flat-out 'gaslighting.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Patel and Bongino, partisan showmen placed in positions previously held by people with greater experience, earned their bona fides in Trump's camp by promoting conspiracy theories, making promises of what they would accomplish under Trump when he returned to power based on fictional or exaggerated premises, pledging to reveal deep-state secrets, and vowing swift vengeance on their enemies. Advertisement It has now fallen on Patel, Bongino, and Attorney General Pam Bondi to make good on the promises explicit and implied — or show how hard they are trying. But they are running what amounts to a conspiracy theory fulfillment center with unstocked shelves, critics say. 'Patel, Bongino, and the other leaders are caught in a trap of their own making,' said Russell Muirhead, a politics professor at Dartmouth College who has studied the role of conspiracy theories in American politics. 'The world they helped create, a world in which conspiracy destroys facts, is now the world they have to inhabit,' he added. Trump himself campaigned on the spurious idea that immigrant criminals had invaded the United States like a foreign army, but when courts began to reject that notion in a series of deportation cases centered on those his administration claimed had criminal records, his supporters blamed the judges, not him. He has flirted so often with the QAnon conspiracy theory, which falsely holds that prominent Democrats like Hillary Clinton are dangerous pedophiles, many followers still cannot fathom why Clinton and other plotters are not in prison. One former Republican congressional staff member with ties to the White House, speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of being targeted, said that the president's courting of far-right conspiracists had stoked expectations, creating a never-ending cycle of demands. The person likened it to feeding red meat to insatiable sharks. Or zombies. Bondi learned that the hard way during her first weeks in office, when she promised new revelations about the Epstein case and faced a furious backlash when the materials she released were a dud. Anxious about any criticism that could erode her standing with Trump, she dispatched FBI agents and prosecutors from the Justice Department's national security division to scour the archives, officials familiar with the situation said. They found little but are still digging, according to Bongino. Advertisement Patel and other officials have claimed that releasing new material is difficult, and governed by the need to protect witnesses and Epstein's victims. Billionaire Elon Musk suggested another explanation in the wake of his falling-out with the president: Trump 'is in the Epstein files,' he wrote on social media Thursday, without providing evidence. 'That is why they have not been made public.' Spokespeople for the Justice Department and FBI did not return requests for comment. Patel and Bongino have limited their interactions to friendly podcasters or conservative outlets, claiming that the mainstream news media cannot be trusted to convey the truth. But those engagements also reflect an understanding that sustaining support on the right is essential for their survival, according to administration officials. 'I've been putting out the truth my entire career,' Patel told Joe Rogan, the popular podcaster who endorsed Trump, to explain his comments about the Epstein case. 'Why would I risk all of it on this guy?' But many people, including Jones, were not buying it. 'Damage control,' he growled on his show. The tension between practicing politics based on conspiracy theories and having to govern extends far beyond the FBI and the Justice Department's problems with the Epstein case. And those elevated to power by Trump know that the No. 1 rule is that he is never wrong and that their role is to absorb the criticism that cannot be aimed at him. Advertisement Days after the backlash over his Epstein comments, Bongino offered other promises — new investigations into other episodes that have gripped the president's base: the discovery of cocaine in the West Wing during the Biden administration, the leak of the draft Supreme Court opinion overturning abortion rights in 2022, and the discovery of pipe bombs near Republican and Democratic Party headquarters before the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, an unsolved crime that has already consumed significant law enforcement resources. During another appearance on Fox, Bongino said the bureau was 'closing in on some suspects' in the planting of the bombs, while claiming that 'no one seemed to show any interest in this case.' In fact, investigators had conducted around 1,000 interviews, reviewed video evidence, and chased hundreds of tips before he arrived. Trump, far from distancing himself from fringe actors in his party after retaking office, has drawn them closer. Laura Loomer, who has baselessly claimed that the Sept. 11 attacks were 'an inside job' and suggested school shootings were a ruse, has become a regular visitor to the White House with outsize influence on personnel matters. Whether by design or happenstance, Bongino, a former midlevel Secret Service agent and New York City police officer, has emerged as the bureau's principal public defender, in addition to his official role running the bureau's day-to-day operations. The strain seems to be taking its toll. 'I gave up everything for this,' he lamented in another one of his Fox appearances. 'I stare at these four walls all day in D.C., by myself.' Advertisement This article originally appeared in
