Political Quotes

“nearly a year ago, Secretary Noem visited Western North Carolina to see the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene firsthand. That day, the Secretary told the crowd in Bat Cave, NC, that ``the previous administration failed in many areas and we're going to learn from that and do better,'' a sentiment that I shared wholeheartedly. Secretary Noem highlighted some of the actions taken in the early days of President Trump's second term to remove all of the redtape that previously slowed the Department down and Western North Carolina's recovery. These actions were sorely needed, and I fully supported what she intended to do. Now let's fast forward a year. Earlier this week, the New York Times reported that approximately 17 billion, with a ``b,'' in Federal disaster funds for States has been delayed over the past year. The article states: The delays stem from a directive issued by Ms. Noem in June that said any expenditure of $100,000 or more must be approved by her office, which oversees the disaster agency, to root out ``waste, fraud, and abuse.'' The bottleneck includes money that had already been approved by regional FEMA offices for things like debris removal and repairs to roads, bridges, and water and sewer systems. This is being delayed, folks. This new reporting sadly confirms what the people of Western North Carolina have known for the past year.”