FEMA Head Defends Agency’s Texas Flood Response Amid Scrutiny

July 23, 2025, 5:04 PM UTC

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s response to the deadly July 4 floods was “on target” and “on time,” the agency’s top political official told House lawmakers Wednesday.

David Richardson defended FEMA from Democrats and Republicans who questioned response times to the Texas emergency, as well as the Trump administration’s efforts to transfer much of the agency’s responsibilities to states.

“The partnership between FEMA and the state and the local is the reason why that was handled so well,” Richardson told a Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee during a hearing. “We want to use Texas as a model for how it’s done.” ...

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