Mayorkas says no more disaster funds but IG report says agency has billions

[riclag]

They got billions!🤔

Homeland Security Inspector General says agency has billions in untapped funds.

 

 

“The report also says "$8.3 billion in unliquidated obligations" was "for disasters declared in 2012 or earlier" that analysts say could be returned to help people battling for survival in disasters” .

https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/mayorkas-says-fema-has-no-more-disaster-funds-ig-report-says-agency-sitting-billions

 

[Danderman123]

Not being an American, it looks like US government budgeting is a big mystery to you.

 

Congress allocates money to agencies, not as a single line item, but in many separate buckets. Mayorkis was noting that the bucket for disaster relief will run short this fiscal year. But there is money in other FEMA budgets.

 

Sometimes it's easy to move money from one bucket to another. Sometimes it takes an act of Congress.

 

But don't expect the Republicans in Congress to act on disaster relief.

[EVENKEEL]

2 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

Not being an American, it looks like US government budgeting is a big mystery to you.

 

Congress allocates money to agencies, not as a single line item, but in many separate buckets. Mayorkis was noting that the bucket for disaster relief will run short this fiscal year. But there is money in other FEMA budgets.

 

Sometimes it's easy to move money from one bucket to another. Sometimes it takes an act of Congress.

 

But don't expect the Republicans in Congress to act on disaster relief.

Hard to believe anything Mayorkis says. This is the guy who says the border is secure.

[Danderman123]

27 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Hard to believe anything Mayorkis says. This is the guy who says the border is secure.

I am explaining the US budget process. Mayorkas has nothing to do with it.

[EVENKEEL]

1 hour ago, Danderman123 said:

I am explaining the US budget process. Mayorkas has nothing to do with it.

When Mayorkis is in the OP title, he has everything to do with it. I'm explaining why he's not to be trusted or believed.

[ChicagoExpat]

5 hours ago, riclag said:

They got billions!🤔

Homeland Security Inspector General says agency has billions in untapped funds.

 

 

“The report also says "$8.3 billion in unliquidated obligations" was "for disasters declared in 2012 or earlier" that analysts say could be returned to help people battling for survival in disasters” .

https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/mayorkas-says-fema-has-no-more-disaster-funds-ig-report-says-agency-sitting-billions

 

Being a little familiar with federal budgeting, the key word in this is "OBLIGATIONS."  If FEMA is legally OBLIGED to reserve these funds for previous disasters. then there's likely nothing that can be done short of an act of Congress to de-obligate them.  If there IS a process in place, and there's no realistic way those funds will ever be spent, and it's only through laziness/inattention that this money hasn't been reallocated, then that's on FEMA.

 

The other issue is that there is also a very strong chance that de-obligated funds go back to Congress, NOT stay with FEMA to be used elsewhere, which is also a reason that agencies are reluctant to close out unspent money.

[EVENKEEL]

https://www.foxnews.com/media/karine-jean-pierre-leaves-briefing-after-doocy-questions-lebanon-funding-during-hurricane-season

 

"On this issue of funding, the administration has money to send to Lebanon without Congress coming back. But Congress does have to come back to approve money to send to people in North Carolina. Do I have that right?" Doocy said. 

 

"But President Biden is fond of saying, ‘show me your budget and I will tell you what you value,’" Doocy said. "If he's got money for people in Lebanon right now without Congress having to come back, what does it say about his values? There's not enough money right now for people in North Carolina who need it. That's not misinformation."

[stevenl]

4 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

https://www.foxnews.com/media/karine-jean-pierre-leaves-briefing-after-doocy-questions-lebanon-funding-during-hurricane-season

 

"On this issue of funding, the administration has money to send to Lebanon without Congress coming back. But Congress does have to come back to approve money to send to people in North Carolina. Do I have that right?" Doocy said. 

 

"But President Biden is fond of saying, ‘show me your budget and I will tell you what you value,’" Doocy said. "If he's got money for people in Lebanon right now without Congress having to come back, what does it say about his values? There's not enough money right now for people in North Carolina who need it. That's not misinformation."

That's the way the appropriation works.