Some employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency I signed a public letter of dissent earlier this week. He was placed on administrative leave Tuesday night, according to documents reviewed by the Associated Press.
More than 180 current and former FEMA employees signed a letter sent to the FEMA Review Council and Congress on Monday, criticizing agency staff and programs for recent cuts, warning that FEMA’s ability to respond to major disasters has been dangerously reduced.
Thirty-five people signed their names, and 141 signed anonymously for fear of retaliation.
The Associated Press confirmed that at least two signatories will notify them on Tuesday evening that they will be on holiday indefinitely and that they must check in that they are checking their availability each morning. It was unclear what the status was for other signers.
The notice said the decision was “not intended to be punitive and not disciplinary action.”
FEMA did not immediately answer questions about the number of staff members who received notifications and whether it was related to opposition letters.
The Washington Post was the first to report that some FEMA employees are taking leave.
The letter of objection included six “opposition statements” to FEMA’s current policies, including a spending approval policy in which Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem must approve contracts over $100,000.
He also criticized DHS’s decision to reassign some FEMA employees Immigration and customs enforcementdid not appoint qualified FEMA administrators as stipulated in the law, resulting in mitigation programs, preparatory training and reducing the FEMA workforce.
In an email Monday, FEMA spokesman Daniel Lalg said the Trump administration “has made “accountability and reform” a priority so that taxpayer dollars actually reach the people and communities they intend to help.”
“It’s not surprising that some of the same bureaucrats who have been primarily sided with decades of inefficiency are now opposed to reform,” Largue said. “Changing is always difficult.”
Employees of other agencies including National Institutes of Health The Environmental Protection Agency issued a similar statement. There were about 140 EPA staff members. Be placed on administrative leave To sign the opposition letter.
