Some workers of the Federal Emergency Administration Company who signed a public letter of dissent earlier this week have been placed on administrative go away Tuesday night, in accordance with paperwork reviewed by The Related Press.
Greater than 180 present and former FEMA workers signed the letter despatched to the FEMA Evaluation Council and Congress on Monday critiquing current cuts to company employees and packages, and warning that FEMA’s capability to answer a serious catastrophe was dangerously diminished.
Thirty-five signed their names whereas 141 signed anonymously for worry of retribution.
The Related Press has confirmed that a minimum of two of the signatories obtained notices Tuesday night informing them they’d be positioned on go away indefinitely, with pay and that they need to nonetheless examine in each morning confirming their availability. It was unclear what the standing was for different signatories.
The discover stated the choice “shouldn’t be a disciplinary motion and isn’t meant to be punitive.”
FEMA didn’t reply instantly to questions on what number of employees obtained the discover and whether or not it was associated to the opposition letter.
The letter contained six “statements of opposition” to present insurance policies at FEMA, together with an expenditure approval coverage by which Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem should approve contracts exceeding $100,000, which the signatories stated reduces FEMA’s capability to carry out its mission.
It additionally critiqued the DHS choice to reassign some FEMA workers to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the failure to nominate a certified FEMA administrator as stipulated by legislation, and cuts to mitigation packages, preparedness coaching and FEMA workforce.
In an electronic mail Monday, FEMA spokesperson Daniel Llargues stated that the Trump administration “has made accountability and reform a precedence in order that taxpayer {dollars} really attain the folks and communities they’re meant to assist.”
“It’s not shocking that a number of the similar bureaucrats who presided over a long time of inefficiency at the moment are objecting to reform,” Llargues stated. “Change is all the time laborious.”
Workers at different companies together with the Nationwide Institutes of Well being and Environmental Safety Company have issued comparable statements. About 140 EPA employees members on the have been positioned on administrative go away for signing an opposition letter.
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