FEMA Under Fire Over Misspending of Billions in American Taxpayer Money [WATCH] |​ RVM News

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has come under scrutiny for mismanaging tens of billions of dollars in recent years, according to multiple government reports analyzing its spending.. From COVID-19 relief to hurricane recovery efforts and migrant housing, the agency’s handling of taxpayer funds has been widely criticized, leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to launch a deeper investigation into FEMA’s finances.. A January 30 audit from the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General found that FEMA mismanaged nearly $10 billion during the COVID-19 pandemic between 2020 and 2023.. Dennis Quaid’s #1 Warning for Americans. Among the most glaring examples was a $1.1 billion grant that was approved based on a single piece of paper with no itemized costs.. The audit revealed that the funding request was not prepared by a licensed professional engineer or cost-estimating expert, raising serious concerns about FEMA’s financial oversight.. Another $1.5 billion was allocated for medical staffing in a single state, but lack of proper vetting left the funding vulnerable to misuse.. The report criticized FEMA for not following established requirements, stating that the funds “could have been put to better use for other disasters.”. How do you feel President Trump is doing on the border and illegal immigration?. . Very Good. . . . . Not Good at All. Email Address (required). By completing the poll, you agree to receive emails from RVM News, occasional offers from our partners and that you’ve read and agree to our privacy policy and legal statement.. The audit also identified $8.1 billion in costs that FEMA still has not determined as allowable expenses.. The states that received these funds were not named in the report.. Following the report, the Trump administration renewed its push for a complete overhaul of FEMA, which currently has a $65 billion budget for fiscal year 2025.. Former Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA), a longtime critic of FEMA, said there is “no doubt” the agency mismanaged COVID-19 relief funds.. “What we sometimes fail to remember is that in the aftermath of a disaster there are victims, and this bureaucracy has just continued to re-victimize those victims,” Graves said.. Despite speculation that he could be tapped to lead FEMA, Graves dismissed the idea, calling the agency “such a dysfunctional bureaucracy” that he didn’t think he would last a month.. He also voiced support for Elon Musk’s efforts to restructure the agency through DOGE.. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also weighed in, telling CNN on Sunday that she supports eliminating FEMA in its current form.. On Monday, Musk announced that DOGE uncovered FEMA’s approval of $59 million to house migrants in luxury hotels in New York City, in direct violation of a presidential executive order.. “Sending this money violated the law and is in gross insubordination to the President’s executive order,” Musk posted on X.. By Tuesday, four FEMA employees had been fired over the improper payments, including the Chief Financial Officer, two program analysts, and a grant specialist, according to the Department of Homeland Security.. A request was also made to return the funds.. FEMA has spent over $1.4 billion on migrant housing and aid in the past two years, according to previous audits.. A 2023 report from the DHS Office of the Inspector General found that $110 million in humanitarian relief funds distributed to local organizations were not used properly, lacked required documentation, and, in some cases, were given to illegal migrants.. FEMA’s financial struggles were also highlighted during the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season.. After Hurricane Helene struck the southeastern U.S., followed days later by Hurricane Milton hitting Florida, FEMA claimed it lacked sufficient funds to respond.. Then-Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated that the agency was running low on funds even as damage estimates reached $60 billion.. In response, Congress approved an additional $20 billion for FEMA disaster relief, but $9 billion was spent in just over a week, according to CNN.. Following the agency’s response to the hurricanes, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) sent a letter to Mayorkas, criticizing FEMA for misusing taxpayer funds while failing to properly respond to natural disasters.. “FEMA has wasted taxpayer funds, misappropriated funds, and left other federal, state, and local responders without deployment orders on the ground,” Gaetz wrote.. His letter cited whistleblowers from various emergency management agencies as sources for his claims.. An August 2024 audit found that FEMA had $7 billion in unliquidated funds that could have been returned to the Disaster Relief Fund, but the agency failed to follow proper procedures.. The report stated that federal regulations do not incentivize timely grant closures, meaning funds often sit in state accounts unused instead of being redirected to current disaster response efforts.. The audit also reviewed a sample of 20 other FEMA grants and found $32.8 billion in improper payments.. FEMA’s spending problems are not new. A 2017 House Oversight and Government Reform Committee (OGR) report found that FEMA wasted millions on temporary mobile homes for flood and hurricane victims.. The mobile homes, which cost up to $150,000 each to build and maintain, were often given away or sold for far less after use.. In one instance, FEMA deactivated 4,350 homes following a 2016 flood in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.. With ongoing reports of waste, fraud, and inefficiency, the Trump administration is moving forward with its plans to reform or replace FEMA.. The agency, originally established by executive order in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter, now faces some of its toughest scrutiny yet.. As Musk and DOGE continue their review, the future of FEMA remains uncertain.. However, the Trump administration has made it clear that business as usual at FEMA will not continue.

Read original article on RVM News Read More