WASHINGTON, D.C. — FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell says the agency has paused its financing for more than 1,000 Public Assistance projects across the country due to the depletion of its Disaster Relief Fund. 

What You Need To Know

  •  FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell testified during a House hearing Tuesday morning 

  •  Criswell urged Congress to pass supplemental funding for FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund

  •  Due to the fund running low on money, FEMA has paused obligations for $1.5 billion in projects for more immediate needs

Following recent severe weather events including Hurricane Idalia and the Maui wildfires, the fund now has just $2.4 billion. As a result, FEMA has paused its obligations for $1.5 billion in Public Assistance projects to make sure it has funding to support more immediate needs, according to Criswell.  

Criswell testified Tuesday morning before a House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management hearing on the agency's "Current State of Disaster Readiness, Response and Recovery.”

Democratic Rep. Rick Larsen of Washington urged members of Congress to work together to provide the agency with supplemental funding, as the agency prioritizes immediate needs.

"The result is all other recovery projects such as rebuilding roads, bridges and schools are on hold indefinitely. And FEMA has had to put about 1,610 recovery and mitigation projects on hold impacting nearly every state and every community in our country," he said. 

Criswell told lawmakers that when projects are placed on hold it can delay the ability of communities to recover. 

"What we do is delay the obligations for some of this other work, it doesn't mean that the work necessarily stops. It just means that we cannot reimburse jurisdictions for the costs that they incur as a result of that until the DRF is replenished," Criswell said. 

Criswell urged lawmakers to approve the Biden administration’s $16 billion supplemental funding request for the Disaster Relief Fund, and its 2024 budget request, as soon as possible. 

But House Republicans, including Subcommittee Chairman Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, have criticized the administration for including additional Ukraine aid as part of the package. 

"I have overarching concerns about decisions being made that waste taxpayer dollars and reduce our readiness. We see FEMA’s funding request to support domestic disaster response activities tied with Ukraine," Perry said. 

Criswell vowed that FEMA will quickly resume its paused obligations as soon as the Disaster Relief Fund is replenished, but with lawmakers scrambling to avoid a government shutdown, it’s unclear when that may happen.