Overview
- North Carolina’s Ted Budd was the lone Republican to join Democrats in a failed filibuster of Robert Law’s nomination for DHS under secretary for strategy, policy and plans.
- Budd accuses DHS and FEMA of “stonewalling” payments and points to Secretary Kristi Noem’s requirement that she personally approve expenditures over $100,000 as a key bottleneck.
- He says Congress appropriated the relief money in December and that nine months later many reimbursements to Western North Carolina remain unpaid.
- After criticism, Noem announced an additional $28 million for the state, while Rep. Alma Adams and local officials say more than $100 million already approved has yet to be released.
- DHS has defended Noem’s tighter approvals as taxpayer accountability and has disputed claims that the policy is solely responsible for delays, including past reporting on Texas flood response.