Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside several colleagues, called on FEMA to address pressing concerns regarding access to disaster victim data.
MALIBU, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 18: Environmental Protection Agency contractors work to remove hazardous waste from beachfront properties destroyed in the Palisades Fire along the Pacific Ocean on February 18, 2025 in Malibu, California.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers have begun private property debris removal from the Eaton and Palisades fires while the EPA announced yesterday it has cleared or deferred 75 percent of properties affected by the fires. Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside several colleagues, called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency to address pressing concerns regarding access to sensitive disaster victim data, mass firings, and funding freezes. The inquiry follows reports of Elon Musk's "Department of Government Efficiency" gaining access to this data.to Cameron Hamilton, the Senior Official Performing the Duties of FEMA Administrator. They highlighted the impact of FEMA's recent actions on disaster resilience and recovery efforts."Our constituents—rebuilding from severe flooding in Vermont, Minnesota, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, as well as catastrophic wildfires in Hawai’i, New Mexico, Oregon, and California—have experienced first-hand the shortcomings of the federal approach to disaster resilience and recovery," the Senators wrote. "Instead of addressing their needs and concerns, the Trump Administration has taken a sledgehammer to the foundation of FEMA." The letter criticized FEMA's firing of over 200 probationary employees amid staffing shortages, questioning the claim that only "non-mission critical" personnel were affected. "We have yet to receive any evidence to support that assertion," the Senators said. "Instead, reporting indicates that these firings will undermine federal disaster response and hamper FEMA’s ability to provide critical support to our constituents." The Senators also addressed the suspension of certain FEMA grants, noting that a local health care provider in Oregon has been unable to proceed with a crucial emergency response project due to a communications freeze. "These apparent freezes have left frontline organizations in limbo and our communities in jeopardy," they stressed. The letter concluded with a demand for prompt responses to their inquiries, including details on the authority and procedures behind the firings and the impact of frozen grants on disaster-impacted communities.
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Senators demand FEMA address concerns over data access and staffing cutsOregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside several colleagues, called on FEMA to address pressing concerns regarding access to disaster victim data.
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Senators demand FEMA address concerns over data access and staffing cutsOregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside several colleagues, called on FEMA to address pressing concerns regarding access to disaster victim data.
Read more »
Senators demand FEMA address concerns over data access and staffing cutsOregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside several colleagues, called on FEMA to address pressing concerns regarding access to disaster victim data.
Read more »
Senators demand FEMA address concerns over data access and staffing cutsOregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside several colleagues, called on FEMA to address pressing concerns regarding access to disaster victim data.
Read more »
Senators demand FEMA address concerns over data access and staffing cutsOregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside several colleagues, called on FEMA to address pressing concerns regarding access to disaster victim data.
Read more »
Senators demand FEMA address concerns over data access and staffing cutsOregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside several colleagues, called on FEMA to address pressing concerns regarding access to disaster victim data.
Read more »