Sen. Warnock worried FEMA unprepared for hurricane season

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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website is the first stop in understanding post-storm funding. (Getty Images)

Washington D.C. - Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock says he is concerned the Federal Emergency Management Agency is not prepared for hurricane season. Warnock pressed the Homeland Security Secretary about changes at the agency and how they will affect Georgians if a hurricane hits the state this year.

What we know:

Warnock sent the Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose office oversees FEMA, a letter demanding answers on possible cuts to the agency.

"As the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season begins this week, and following Acting Administrator Richardson’s stunning and disturbing reported admission that he was unaware the United States has a hurricane season, I write with deep concern about the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the potentially devastating consequences for Georgia communities," Sen. Warnock wrote.

Warnock told Noem that he’s concerned because the Trump administration is working to "dismantle the nation’s lead disaster response agency." He says the Department of Homeland Security proposed a $646 million cut to FEMA’s budget and cut the agency’s workers by 30%. Warnock says the department also plans to stop training local and state officials on hurricane response techniques.

Warnock asked Noem how the budget cuts affect FEMA’s ability to respond to hurricanes and how DHS will keep the budget cuts from making Americans less safe.

He also asked Noem to provide a justification for stopping the training of state and local officials. He asked her to prove that it would save the agency money in the long term.

Read the full letter below.

What we don't know:

So far, we have not heard a response from Sec. Noem's office.

Dig deeper:

Hurricane season runs June 1 to Nov. 30. Last year, two hurricanes hit Georgia.