WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) spoke on the Senate Floor today to raise the alarm on reports that Elon Musk and his agents at the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) have infiltrated the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), reportedly
accessing the sensitive personal information of disaster survivors. Senator Welch stressed how DOGE’s intervention in recovery efforts puts personal data of disaster victims at risk and called on Congress to fix FEMA, not destroy it as President Trump has recently suggested.

“I am absolutely so concerned about what’s happening at FEMA now. There’s been a DOGE invasion…what does Elon Musk know about the suffering in these communities?” said Senator Welch. “We need to recommit ourselves to assuring the American people in each of our communities that if and when there is a disaster, FEMA will be there. But we also have an obligation to make it work better.” 

Watch Senator Welch’s speech below: 

Key quotes from Senator Welch’s speech: 

“What we know in Vermont is that disasters that have afflicted us all over the country—they don’t care who you voted for. They don’t care who you voted for. They don’t respect county or state lines. They’re indiscriminate and unpredictable. And the storm metes out its suffering in a bipartisan way—there’s no escaping it.”  

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“How in the world is it a partisan issue when you’re talking about the folks you represent, or I represent, who find themselves in the path of a fire, in the path of a flood, in the path of a hurricane, or a tornado? We come together to help each other when that happens. That’s the responsibility we have.  

“But more than that, it’s really the wonderful opportunity to serve where we’re in a position to help Americans—regardless of where they live, regardless of what their political persuasion is. But because we respect them, the lives they’ve built, and we want to help them after a destruction of things that are really important to them and their community. We want to help them get back on their feet.” 

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Senators Welch and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)  recently led ten of their colleagues from disaster-impacted states in demanding answers from FEMA on the potential security breach created by Elon Musk’s DOGE, which has reportedly accessed the sensitive personal data of disaster victims. The Senators also requested more information on the procedures FEMA follows to protect data from misuse, and if DOGE’s unaccountable agents were in compliance with federal law.   

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