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Senators press DHS secretary over paused grants, FEMA funding and disaster programs
Summary
Democratic senators warned Secretary Kristi Noem that the department’s pause or reprogramming of several grant accounts — including shelter and services, citizenship/integration grants and FEMA grants — is causing community harm and may violate appropriations law; Noem said grants are under review to ensure appropriations are spent as intended.
Several senators used the Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing to press Secretary Kristi Noem about paused or withheld funds that they said Congress had already appropriated.
Senator Chris Murphy told Noem the department “is on track to trigger the Anti Deficiency Act,” and warned that paused spending could leave the department “broke by July.” Senator Patty Murray described the department’s actions as an “illegal freeze” that is taking “a real toll on communities.”
Why it matters: The chair and members of the appropriations subcommittee write DHS’s funding bills. When an agency pauses or reprograms appropriations, members can question whether the department is following congressional intent and applicable law.
Key points
- Programs named: Senators said the administration paused or canceled funds for the shelter and services program, citizenship and integration grants, and FEMA awards. Noem said grants are being “paused and reevaluated to make sure that they are truly being spent in the way to which they were appropriated.”
- Scale and effect: Senator Murray said “in the last 3 months, you have frozen or canceled over $100,000,000,000 in funding that was approved by Congress bipartisan.” Senators said paused funds are delaying mitigation projects, disaster recovery, and other community needs tied to BRIC and FEMA resources.
- Requests and oversight: Senators asked Noem to commit to spending shelter and services funds consistent with congressional authorization. Noem responded that the department will follow “what is authorized and what is the process for how those are traditionally spent,” and that some reexaminations were to prevent misuse.
Supporting details
Senators asked for prompt responses to oversight letters. Senator Gary Peters said he had sent nine letters and received only two replies; Noem apologized for backlog and promised to provide updates.
Senator Chris Van Hollen and others pressed Noem about the status of the National Fire Academy and in‑person training classes; Noem said funding would be continued and she would get the committee updated within 24 hours.
Ending
Noem said FEMA grants and training programs would be a departmental priority going forward, and the committee set deadlines for written follow‑up. Senators said they would continue oversight of the paused accounts and asked for documentation of the department’s basis for pauses or reprogramming.
