The committee, which has legislative and oversight jurisdiction over FEMA, will hold a hearing Tuesday, Nov. 19, to question FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell on the agency’s failure to provide assistance to everyone in need.

“The Committee is troubled that under your leadership FEMA failed to aid all Americans, regardless of party affiliation,” the letter to Criswell says.

The letter, signed by all 35 Republican committee members including Mike Collins (R-GA), Tim Burchett (R-TN), Kevin Kiley (R-CA), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), and Rudy Yakym III (R-IN), requests that FEMA be prepared to address the committee’s concerns over FEMA’s failure to provide aid impartially, regardless of political affiliation. 

It also calls for FEMA to explain what actions have been taken to support the families who were skipped over, what policies have been designed to “prevent future political discrimination,” and an assessment of how widespread the failure to assist pro-Trump disaster victims was. It is currently estimated that over 20 homes were skipped in Florida alone due to former FEMA supervisor Marn’i Washington’s guidance to “avoid” homes “advertising Trump.”

Washington spoke to the Washington Examiner in an exclusive interview Sunday. She said this policy was put in place “to keep the team safe” as hostile encounters with Trump supporters involving FEMA workers “having their lives threatened” prompted her to avoid certain streets. The Washington Examiner obtained communications confirming Washington was encouraged by her superior to skip certain streets.

She demanded FEMA turn over the incident reports showing where the alleged hostile encounters took place. The Washington Examiner filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the Department of Homeland Security to obtain these reports.

The letter requests all documents and communications showing when FEMA leadership became aware of the “discriminatory guidance,” the agency’s efforts to reach and assist the Trump supporters who were skipped over, and FEMA’s effort to notify state and local officials of the discrimination.

It additionally requests information on FEMA’s efforts to notify the skipped residences of assistance they may qualify for, any actions taken to investigate how far-reaching the discriminatory policy went, and copies of all guidance policies for FEMA workers canvassing in response to hurricanes Helene and Milton.

The committee noted that Criswell is responsible for leading U.S. efforts “to prepare for, protect against, and respond to natural disasters.” Meanwhile, the agency’s “number one strategic goal, per its Strategic Plan, is focused on equity, while preparedness and readiness were relegated to FEMA’s third goal, after climate change.”

“Your inability to ensure that FEMA provide relief to all Americans affected by disasters, free of discrimination, represents a substantial failure of leadership,” the letter says. “The blatant disregard of President-elect Trump supporters directly contradicts FEMA’s core mission and values.”

The Nov. 19 hearing in which Criswell will answer for her alleged failure of leadership is titled In the Eye of the Storm: Oversight of FEMA’s Disaster Readiness and Response. It will feature Reps. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) and Deborah Ross (D-NC) on Panel I and Criswell on Panel II.

The letter states, “It is clear that, under the Biden-Harris Administration, FEMA has been ill-prepared to provide assistance and relief to many Americans in need.”