Infrastructure and Transportation

Federal disaster aid (FEMA)

44 public statements from 2026 candidates

§1The range of views

Why this matters: Disaster aid decides how quickly help reaches people after a hurricane, flood or fire, and who pays to rebuild homes, roads and schools.

Drafted by AI, then checked for neutral wording in a separate AI review. It describes the question and the main positions, not any candidate's view. Facts link to their sources.

How much the federal government, mainly through FEMA, helps states and communities prepare for and recover from hurricanes, floods, wildfires and other disasters; in 2025 the president created a council to review FEMA, including whether it should support states rather than direct disaster relief itself.1

  1. Shift most disaster costs and response to states, and shrink or close FEMA
  2. Keep FEMA's role, with changes to speed up aid
  3. Expand FEMA's funding and role, including more help preparing before disasters

These options describe policies, not people. The order is not a ranking.

§2What candidates have said

Why this matters: Statements candidates made publicly, summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Candidates who haven't spoken publicly on this issue aren't listed.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

Shift most disaster costs and response to states, and shrink or close FEMA (1)

  • Steve G. Parsons AR-1
    His campaign website lists FEMA among the federal agencies to cut or eliminate, saying its spending has grown sharply and that it subsidizes wealthy people in high-risk areas.2,3

Keep FEMA's role, with changes to speed up aid (5)

  • Jared Moskowitz FL-25
    His campaign website says he has worked with members of both parties in Congress to reform FEMA so that its disaster response is quicker and more accountable.4
  • Julia Letlow LA Senate
    Her campaign website says she would reform FEMA and speed up disaster assistance payments.5
  • Lauren Jewett LA-1
    Her campaign website says she will push to streamline and speed up FEMA and HUD disaster recovery funding so that families displaced by hurricanes are not left waiting years for aid.6
  • Lisa Ballay LA-2
    Her campaign website says she wants FEMA to be faster, more transparent and less bureaucratic, with more authority for state and local officials and real accountability for how federal disaster dollars are spent, and says federal agencies should be held to firm deadlines for determinations and appeals.7
  • John Day LA-3
    His campaign website lists flood protection, faster FEMA response, fair insurance rates and coastal resilience among its goals, and lists funding storm recovery faster and fairer among its infrastructure priorities.8

Expand FEMA's funding and role, including more help preparing before disasters (4)

  • Amanda Hollowell GA-1
    Her campaign website says she will advocate for federal investment in flood protection and resilient infrastructure and that coastal communities need prevention and protection, not just disaster response, and her 10 Point Affordability Agenda calls for restoring and protecting FEMA funding and supporting disaster preparedness before storms strike.9,10,11
  • Mikel Wein KY-5
    His campaign website says cuts to FEMA have hurt communities and that FEMA needs to be strengthened, lists fully funding FEMA among actions needed immediately, and lists the FEMA Act of 2025, which it says fixes and strengthens FEMA, among pending legislation.12
  • Chris Henry OR Senate
    His platform proposes two dedicated federal disaster-resilience funds, including one to prepare Oregon for a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake.13,14
  • James Talarico TX Senate
    His campaign website says he would expand eligibility for FEMA's Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program and improve help for families after disasters.15

Statements that don't match one option (34)

  • Mike McGuire CA-1
    His campaign website says he would reverse cuts to FEMA and improve emergency response and disaster recovery, and his rural plan calls for faster federal disaster reimbursements and simpler recovery programs for wildfire survivors.16,17
  • Michael Masuda CA-5
    His campaign website says he would strengthen FEMA, make its pre-disaster mitigation grants permanent, speed up disaster response and assistance, and make wildfire funding faster, simpler and available before fire season.18,19
  • Peter Coe Verbica CA-19
    His 25-point federal plan proposes increasing FEMA and Department of Energy grants for hardening the power grid.20
  • Judy Chu CA-28
    Her campaign website lists delivering federal assistance to help Altadena and Pasadena recover from the Eaton Fire among her accomplishments.21
  • Angie Nixon FL Senate special
    Her campaign website says she supports taking FEMA out of the Department of Homeland Security and funding disaster resilience to protect homes from hurricanes.22
  • Amanda Marie Green FL-2
    Her campaign website says she will work to fully fund and reform FEMA and improve coordination among federal, state and local emergency agencies so communities get help faster to prepare, recover and rebuild.23
  • John H. Rutherford FL-5
    His campaign website says he fought for funding to rebuild communities after deadly hurricanes.24
  • Darren Soto FL-9
    His campaign website says he fought for and voted for a disaster relief package that provided $4 billion for Puerto Rico and $5 billion for Central Florida.25
  • Gus Michael Bilirakis FL-12
    His campaign website says he secured $585 million in federal disaster recovery funding for Pasco County after Hurricanes Helene and Milton.26,27
  • Robert People FL-15
    His affordability plan says he will work to keep funding for disaster preparedness and recovery support, and it names NOAA, FEMA, the National Weather Service and the BRIC resilience program.28
  • Kelly Kirschner FL-16
    His campaign website says he supports a fully funded, proactive FEMA so that the region is not left waiting for help when hurricanes strike.29
  • Victor Arias FL-19
    A separate Victor Arias Explains guide says his platform covers hurricane-preparedness resources and federal infrastructure for Southwest Florida, along with disaster-preparedness and recovery funding.30,31
  • Mario Diaz-Balart FL-26
    His campaign website says the Homeland Security funding he led includes fully funded disaster response for hurricane-prone Florida.32
  • Matt Day GA-2
    His campaign website’s Joseph Farm Plan proposes federally funded grain storage in every town, emergency clean water reserves in strategic locations and solar-powered backup energy at each grain reserve, coordinated with FEMA and the Department of Defense, to prepare for disasters, war or economic collapse.33
  • Sanford Bishop GA-2
    His campaign website says he spearheaded billions of dollars in disaster relief funding for rural communities, farmers and small towns affected by tornadoes, floods and hurricanes.34
  • Jill N. Tokuda HI-2
    Her campaign website says she is committed to securing federal funding for disaster preparedness, including firefighting equipment, emergency communication systems and training for emergency personnel.35
  • Christian Maxwell IL-1
    Her issues page says she will use congressional oversight, HUD and FEMA grant conditions and inspector general audits to track flood dollars from Washington to the block level.36
  • Hal Rogers KY-5
    His campaign website lists among its record items a 2022 vote for a stopgap funding bill that it says accelerated $19 billion for FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund and added disaster-recovery and heating assistance resources, and a 2025 call on FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers to speed flood relief and flood-control work in Eastern Kentucky; its biography also says he demanded answers from FEMA about federal responses to wildfires, hurricanes and flash floods.37,38
  • Troy A. Carter Sr. LA-2
    His campaign website lists among its accomplishments securing $1.3 billion for hurricane recovery and bringing home over $3 billion to help people and businesses rebuild after Hurricane Ida.39
  • Priscilla Gonzalez LA-3
    Her campaign website's Iberia Parish page says she will advocate for federal disaster relief funding, infrastructure investment and climate resilience initiatives, and work to improve access to affordable flood insurance.40
  • Tia LeBrun LA-3
    Her campaign website's Policy Plans page lists creating a federal National Disaster Insurance Program, increasing federal investment in flood mitigation projects and expanding grants for home elevation and hurricane hardening among its goals for lowering insurance costs.41
  • Conrad Cable LA-4
    His campaign website says it will fund and reform the National Flood Insurance Program so that insurance stays affordable and reliable.42
  • "Rick" Edmonds LA-6
    His campaign website lists protecting access to critical flood insurance and disaster relief among the things he will do in Congress.43
  • Patrick "Pat" Forbes LA-6
    His campaign website says that after the 2016 floods he brought home nearly $3 billion in federal funding to rebuild and add flood protection, and that in Congress he will fight for funding to keep reducing flood risk.44
  • Lindsay "Rubia" Garcia LA-6
    Her campaign website says she will bring federal dollars home for drainage, flood protection, water and sewer systems and affordable flood insurance, among other infrastructure.45
  • Chris Dardzinski MI-13
    His campaign website says FEMA has limits, that every city, township and village needs its own community-wide disaster plan, and that he would hold district workshops every 90 days for local officials to develop those plans.46
  • Wesley Bell MO-1
    His campaign website says that after the 2025 tornadoes in the St. Louis area he pressed for a federal disaster declaration and for housing assistance, health care and rebuilding support for affected families.47
  • Ty Pinkins MS Senate
    His campaign website says FEMA rules should be updated so Gulf Coast homeowners can repair and upgrade their homes to meet safety codes and better withstand storms.48
  • Jeffrey Hulum III MS-4
    His campaign website’s FAQ page says he supports full funding for FEMA and quicker disaster declarations for South Mississippi.49
  • Michael Whatley NC Senate
    His campaign website says President Trump chose him to serve on the FEMA Review Council, which it says is meant to improve disaster response, and that he has worked with the administration to deliver Hurricane Helene recovery aid to North Carolina.50
  • Chuck Hubbard NC-5
    His campaign website says Congress should prioritize people and small businesses in the recovery after Helene, that he would fight for the funding that was promised, and that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Congress should be transparent about where the money goes and how much has been paid out.51
  • Kimberly Hardy NC-7
    Her campaign website's Priorities page says she would work to keep FEMA funding available and easy to access in times of need.52
  • Jamie Ager NC-11
    His campaign website says Western North Carolina still needs recovery money after Hurricane Helene, and that small towns are waiting on funds Congress promised. It says his top priority in Congress would be delivering recovery funds and cutting red tape so the money reaches people and small businesses.53,54
  • Lakesha Womack NC-14
    Her issues page says she would work to ensure FEMA and other disaster-relief dollars reach communities promptly.55