By U.S. Senator Peter Welch
Published in the New York Times on January 27, 2025

My state of Vermont is still recovering from two catastrophic floods in the past two years. That’s why I agree with President Trump that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is broken and needs serious reform if it is to meet local communities’ long-term recovery needs. 

But to do away with it completely would be a disaster for red and blue states alike. 

On Friday, while visiting victims of September’s Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, Mr. Trump said he was considering “getting rid of FEMA.” He now reportedly plans to sign an executive order as a step toward reshaping FEMA, which could eliminate the agency.