Duval Times

Senator Rick Scott has teamed up with Senator James Lankford to introduce a bill aimed at prohibiting discrimination based on political affiliation in federal disaster relief. This initiative comes after reports emerged suggesting that a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employee instructed disaster assistance teams in Florida, and potentially other states, to bypass homes displaying signs supporting President-elect Donald Trump. The Stafford Act currently requires the federal government to provide relief without discrimination based on race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status. The new legislation seeks to add political affiliation to this list.

Senator Rick Scott remarked on the situation by stating, “The reports we’ve all seen recently, which led FEMA to fire an employee, are horrible, illegal and prove that President Trump was RIGHT. They knew this was happening and allowed it to continue. It’s disgusting. When people needed help the most, the Biden-Harris administration weaponized the federal government against them. We need to help EVERYONE regardless of their politics, and taxpayer-funded federal agencies to do the same."

Echoing this sentiment, Senator James Lankford commented that "Discrimination based on political affiliation has no place in federal disaster relief." He emphasized that while existing regulations already mandate impartiality based on various factors such as race and religion, adding political affiliation ensures fair treatment for all individuals seeking aid.

Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd also expressed support for the proposed legislation. Senator Tillis described Hurricane Helene's impact on North Carolina as severe and stated that ignoring individuals due to their political beliefs is a national scandal. Meanwhile, Senator Budd highlighted that such discrimination erodes trust in government institutions.

Additionally backing the bill are Senators Jon Ossoff and Roger Marshall. Senator Ossoff stressed that no American should be denied disaster assistance because of their political stance. Similarly, Senator Marshall criticized what he called "despicable politicization" at FEMA as a reason for public distrust in federal agencies.

The bipartisan effort aims to ensure that federal disaster assistance is delivered fairly across political lines.