Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem waited four days to sign off crucial aid for the Texas floods—but did find time to post on social media about her official portrait.
Four officials at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which falls under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security, told CNN that a newly introduced requirement for Noem’s signature on any contract and grant over $100,000 delayed their response to the flooding in Texas, where 120 people have died and a further 150 are missing.
CNN reported that FEMA was unable to move Urban Search and Rescue crews into position when waters started rising on Friday because it needed Noem’s signature, which did not come until Monday.
It is unclear why Noem waited until Monday to sign off.
But some of what she did at the weekend while the Texas tragedy unfolded is known.
Noem asked her Instagram followers on Sunday which image they preferred for her official portrait as the former governor of South Dakota.“Which one do you like for the official Governor’s portrait to hang in the South Dakota State Capitol? Thank you David Uhl!” she posted.
The rescue teams were not the only delayed aid.
Texas also requested aerial imagery from FEMA to bolster search and rescue operations, but that was similarly delayed because Noem’s approval was needed for the contract, a source told CNN.
Callers to FEMA’s disaster call center have also been forced to wait longer for a response since Noem’s signature was needed to bring in additional staff, CNN reported.
Multiple FEMA officials told the network that acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson has been given little authority by Noem.
Last month, CNN obtained a memo indicating that all Homeland Security contracts and grants over $100,000 must first be approved by Noem before the funds are released. The memo stated that funding requests must include details such as the mission’s impact, dollar amounts, timeliness issues, descriptions of the supplies or services, and a plan of action.
But it appeared to have caused chaos inside FEMA.
“We were operating under a clear set of guidance: lean forward, be prepared, anticipate what the state needs, and be ready to deliver it,” a longtime FEMA official told the news outlet. “That is not as clear of an intent for us at the moment.”
Former FEMA Director Deanne Criswell told The Source with Kaitlan Collins that the new rule could have cost lives.
“What happened, I think, here, is that we couldn’t move, or FEMA couldn’t move those resources in like they normally would, to be on the ground ready once they found out how bad the situation was,” she said. “And you lose time, and that’s time that can cost lives in the end. And so it’s really important for emergency managers to always be proactive and thinking ahead and getting resources in place.”
Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told CNN, “FEMA is shifting from bloated, DC-centric dead weight to a lean, deployable disaster force that empowers state actors to provide relief for their citizens.”
“The old processes are being replaced because they failed Americans in real emergencies for decades,” she said.
Editor’s note: Due to an editing error, this story briefly referred to Kristi Noem as incorrectly as a former North Dakota governor. She was governor of South Dakota.
