the harrowing videos and stories out of Texas earlier this month are another reminder of how unpredictable and dangerous weather has become. Climate change is fueling more frequent and extreme weather events, and the Federal Government has a duty to be ready to respond quickly. What happened in Texas shows we need to strengthen FEMA, not weaken it. That means making sure the agency is fully staffed and fully funded. That means answering the phones. Unfortunately, the administration is doing the opposite, gutting our Nation's largest emergency management agency. As a New Yorker, I saw the flooding in Texas and immediately thought of hurricane season on the East Coast. It has been a few years since a major storm hit our region. We are due. Local and State agencies are preparing, but this year they are doing so without the help of FEMA's predisaster mitigation grants because the administration canceled the program. Cutting emergency preparedness funding doesn't prevent disasters. It just makes them harder to handle. Once again, it is Americans who will pay the price.
Editor's note · Context
Addressing the impact of climate change and the need to strengthen FEMA during a speech.
Share
More from George Latimer
this Sunday, the congregants of St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church will celebrate their 45th annual parish day, reflecting on their years of heritage and gratitude for parishioners not only from Yonkers, where the church is located, but from…
I rise to salute the outstanding work of the Greenburgh Nature Center, its professional staff, and its volunteer leadership for providing an environmental oasis for all to enjoy in the middle of a bustling suburb. The nature center is a…
the month of March, with St. Patrick's Day to be celebrated on March 17, is a time to honor those of us of Irish-American heritage. Across the Nation, much less in Westchester and in the Bronx, there will be parades and festive dinners to…
I rise today to salute the community presence of Greater Centennial A.M.E. Zion Church, a beacon of faith and service in the city of Mount Vernon, New York. Under the spiritual leadership of the Rev. Dr. Stephen Pogue, Greater Centennial…





