In the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Helene, as people and communities begin to recover and rebuild, the important role of federal agencies such as the National Weather Service (NWS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has never been more apparent. For decades, these agencies have provided timely warnings and coordinated responses to major disasters, saving lives and offering assistance to those in need.
Project 2025 -- the playbook written by former President Donald Trump appointees as a quick-start guide for his second term in office -- threatens to dismantle the very institutions and programs that protect the nation in times of disaster.
Project 2025's plan to defund or dismantle agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the NWS would shift critical responsibilities to private companies. Instead of relying on these trusted public sources for life-saving weather alerts and other key information, Americans could be forced to pay corporations for crucial information that NWS currently provides for free.
The proposed changes would also terminate disaster-preparation grants, stop or reduce aid after smaller and more common disasters and phase out the program that provides almost all of the nation's flood insurance under FEMA.
Currently, when a disaster strikes or threatens, a governor may request a federal disaster declaration; once the president makes a declaration, FEMA can cover 75 percent of certain disaster-related costs for things such as debris removal and infrastructure repairs. The state governments are responsible for the other 25 percent. In very severe disasters in the past, FEMA has paid 100 percent of costs for a certain period.
Under Project 2025, the federal share would drop to 25 percent for smaller disasters and be capped at 75 percent for the largest disasters. In times of disaster, many states are already hard-pressed to pay the 25 percent share for federal disaster assistance. Paying 75 percent would likely be a non-starter for some states (and U.S. territories and tribal governments). And this would make them ineligible for the federal assistance when and where their residents need help the most.
Kamala Harris understands the indispensable work federal agencies such as FEMA, NOAA, and NWS do in disaster preparedness and response. Unlike Donald Trump, whose proposals prioritize short-term cost savings at the expense of public safety, Kamala Harris recognizes that these agencies are crucial to protecting lives and improving communities' resilience to disasters.
Federal agencies' extraordinary efforts to prepare for and respond to Hurricane Helene demonstrated, once again, why these agencies are so essential. NOAA and NWS gave advance notice of the storm's path, intensity, potential impacts, and other essential details, allowing governors to declare states of emergency. From providing emergency shelter to coordinating recovery efforts, FEMA and partner FEMA agencies played, and continue to play, critical roles in helping communities respond, recover and enhance their resilience for the next disaster.
Vice President Kamala Harris's vision for FEMA is clear: build community resilience to present and future threats and hazards, increase the capacity to respond and recover quickly. Harris understands that when major natural disasters strike -- hurricanes, floods, heat emergencies, or wildfires or manmade disasters such as cyber incidents, power outages, or terrorist attacks -- FEMA must have the resources to act quickly and effectively in order to support states and communities. Harris also supports strengthening NOAA and the NWS by addressing both current hazards, as well as hazards that may become more problematic in the future.
In stark contrast, the Trump team's Project 2025 would remove or substantially reduce these critical protections. As vice president, Harris has worked tirelessly to bolster disaster response by modernizing infrastructure to withstand future storms and ensuring that FEMA, NOAA, and the NWS remain fully operational. Harris knows that disaster resilience is essential to saving lives and protecting critical infrastructure and the environment.
Trump's track record speaks for itself. Who can forget the image of the then-president tossing paper towels to a crowd in Puerto Rico after thousands had died in Hurricane Maria. His lack of empathy and indifference to human suffering is shocking.
This election presents a clear choice: empathy and resilience or indifference and recklessness. The vice president is a leader who values expertise, invests in disaster preparedness, and will ensure that the federal government is ready to support states and territories in times of crisis. Trump, on the other hand, dismisses the importance of these agencies and the professionals who run them, leaving Americans vulnerable to future disasters.
As we recover from Hurricane Helene and brace for future storms, it's more important than ever to have leadership that prioritizes safety and resilience. We cannot afford the reckless vision that Trump's cronies present in Project 2025.
For a safer, more prepared future, Kamala Harris is the leader we need.
Sharro is former superintendent of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Emergency Management Institute. He helped manage the response to several major disasters.