Can Trump Really Withhold Fire Relief From California? He’s Tried It Before
On the campaign trail, former President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened to cut off financial disaster recovery aid to California, even as the state grapples with increasingly large and destructive fires due in part to climate change.
“We’re not giving any of that fire money that we send you all the time for all the fire, forest fires that you have,” Trump said at a pre-election rally in California’s Coachella Valley, directing the threat toward Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.
If history is any indicator, Trump is almost certain to follow through on that threat, as presidents have executive authority to decide whether, when and where to direct emergency aid.
Federal disaster assistance is provided through the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, a federal law enacted in 1988 that designed the system through which states request and are granted financial assistance after a natural disaster.
...
For Complete article, please click here
By: Dana Cronin
Source: KQED
Next Article Previous Article