WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) recently sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME), and Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) urging swift action to address the impending budget shortfall in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund (DRF).

“In March, Congress passed the fiscal year (FY) 2025 Full-Year Continuing Resolution, which again provided additional funding to the DRF. While OMB and DHS publicly maintain that the DRF is solvent through the end of the fiscal year, recent data indicate otherwise. Additionally, state emergency management leaders report sudden delays in reimbursements starting in June in what appears to be an attempt to avoid initiating Immediate Needs Funding (INF) before the end of the fiscal year to avoid exhausting the DRF’s Major Disasters account. This de facto INF posture jeopardizes my state’s recovery, and more concerningly, places FEMA in a precarious financial posture as Congress leaves town for the August state work period,” wrote Senator Tillis.  

“As we head into the heart of hurricane and wildfire season, we simply cannot afford to wait until after disaster strikes to provide FEMA the emergency funding necessary to adequately respond. Therefore, I respectfully request that Congress act to replenish the FEMA DRF in the current work period,” Senator Tillis concluded. 

Full text of the letter is available HERE. 

Background:

In June, Senator Tillis introduced legislation to replenish the DRF to ensure FEMA has the financial resources it needs to respond to natural disasters in the months ahead. Tillis’ legislation would provide $25 billion for the DRF, which would fulfill President Trump’s historic DRF funding request for Congress. 

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