RELEASE: Rep. Cloud Grills FEMA Over Failures and DEI Priorities

WASHINGTON — Congressman Michael Cloud (TX-27) today addressed critical concerns about the failures of federal agencies and their policies. During today’s House Oversight Committee hearing on FEMA’s response to Hurricanes Milton and Helene, Rep. Cloud criticized systemic issues within the federal government, underscoring the need for cultural change and a return to mission-focused priorities.

Rep. Cloud pointed to several concerning patterns in federal agencies, stating:

“It wasn’t the policy of the IRS to target conservatives, the NIH to fund gain-of-function research, or DHS to release foreign terrorists into our communities — but these things are happening. The FBI’s policies don’t direct them to target people of faith either, yet we’ve seen it occur.

“This isn’t just about written rules; it’s about a culture that allows these actions to persist. Change needs to be made, and change is coming.”

Rep. Cloud noted that while these failures may not align with the explicit policies of federal agencies, they reveal a culture of unaccountability that must be addressed for the government to serve the American people effectively.

In addition, Rep. Cloud raised the alarm over FEMA’s current strategic priorities, which state equity is their number 1 priority:

“FEMA’s top priority is to ‘Instill Equity as a Foundation of Emergency Management.’ Why is DEI the focus of disaster response? Emergency management should be about saving lives and helping ALL Americans—not pushing divisive agendas. We must dismantle DEI in our federal government.”

He referred to FEMA’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan, which prioritizes DEI initiatives over its core mission of disaster preparedness and response, as emblematic of the misplaced focus permeating federal agencies​​. Watch the full remarks here: