Brownley Demands FEMA Release Money Withheld From Dem States
U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley (D – Westlake Village, Calabasas, Agoura Hills) led a coalition of 24 members of Congress this week demanding that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) immediately release $1.68 billion in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds withheld from California and Colorado.
The push follows reporting by The Washington Post that the Trump administration has made it three times harder for states with a Democratic governor and two Democratic senators to secure federal disaster aid.
While FEMA has awarded $1.1 billion in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds nationally this year, California has received only $830,000 and Colorado nothing, according to the lawmakers’ letter to Acting FEMA Administrator Bob Fenton.
By contrast, Florida received $239 million, Texas $131 million, and Louisiana $117 million. California and Colorado are both donor states — contributing $276 billion and $10 billion more in federal taxes, respectively, than they receive in federal spending. Research cited by the coalition shows that every dollar invested in disaster prevention saves $13 in disaster response and economic impact.
“We know of no eligibility or statutory factors that justify California and Colorado — together home to roughly one in eight Americans — receiving less than one-tenth of one percent of HMGP awards this year. We trust that you agree that FEMA should not put Americans’ lives and livelihoods at unnecessary risk,” the lawmakers wrote. “Accordingly, we request your support in ensuring that our constituents receive the same full, fair, and prompt consideration of their FEMA grant requests as Americans in every other state, and we look forward to your timely response.”
The letter comes as Los Angeles County enters its peak fire season, with thousands of survivors of the Eaton Fire and the Palisades Fire still in recovery. Federal mitigation dollars are among the primary tools available to reduce the impact of the next catastrophe before it starts.
Whitesides, Obernolte Team Up on Bipartisan Disaster Infrastructure Bill
U.S. Rep. George Whitesides (D – Santa Clarita, Palmdale, Lancaster, Antelope Valley) introduced bipartisan legislation this week requiring state transportation departments and metropolitan planning organizations to map which roads, bridges, and other transportation assets are most vulnerable and the ones most operational when disasters strike.
The Disaster Ready Infrastructure Act, co-introduced with Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA) and endorsed by the Antelope Valley Transit Authority, closes a significant gap in federal emergency preparedness law.
“As we prepare for natural disasters, it is imperative that we understand what infrastructure is most at risk, and what transportation pathways we rely on to connect affected areas with evacuation routes, hospitals, and supply chains,” said Whitesides. “That’s why I introduced the Disaster Ready Infrastructure Act, which requires state-level transportation and planning organizations to report on which roads, bridges, and tunnels need to be kept operational during a crisis, and which ones may fail. By identifying key transportation infrastructure, we can give local planners the information they need to better prepare for — and respond to — natural disasters.”
Currently, there are no federal requirements to identify infrastructure most at risk during natural disasters, nor to designate which assets are essential to keep operational for evacuation routes, hospital access, and supply chains. Most existing legislation focuses on reactive repairs after disasters rather than requiring proactive vulnerability mapping as a mandatory planning step.
The bill instructs state organizations to identify which transportation facilities are most vulnerable to recurring natural disasters, which are most critical to keep operational during or after a disaster, and which improvement projects and funding are needed to keep those critical assets functional.
The bill now advances through the legislative process.
Lieu Wins House Passage of Provision Bringing Federal Diplomacy Office to LA
U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu (D – Westside Los Angeles and South Bay, including Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Culver City, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Rancho Palos Verdes) won House passage Monday of a provision he authored establishing a formal Office of Subnational Diplomacy at the State Department — a concept he has championed since 2019 and one that carries direct significance for Los Angeles, where the new office will be co-located.
Subnational diplomacy is the practice of mayors, governors, and local officials to engage directly with foreign counterparts on trade, climate, public health, and cultural exchange.
“I’m pleased that the House has passed my provision to formally establish the Office of Subnational Diplomacy under the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment,” said Lieu. “Diplomatic relationships between local officials and international partners are a fundamental engine for economic and cultural exchange in our country. We must make sure the federal government can support cities and states as they navigate these relationships. I look forward to continuing to advocate for strong subnational diplomacy.”
The new Office will be led by a Coordinator responsible for helping subnational governments attract foreign investment, counter foreign malign influence within the United States, and align local diplomatic activity with federal foreign policy priorities.
Critically for Los Angeles County, the Office will be co-located with the Office of Foreign Missions in Los Angeles, anchoring a new federal diplomatic infrastructure hub in the region.
The provision now moves to the Senate as part of the broader legislative package in which it was included.
Valladares Honors Antelope Valley Blue Star Mothers as District’s Nonprofit of the Year
State Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares (R – Santa Clarita, Palmdale, Lancaster) recognized the Antelope Valley Blue Star Mothers chapter as Senate District 23’s Nonprofit of the Year this week at a ceremony held at the Lancaster Cemetery, where the organization has helped steward for two decades to ensure no veteran buried there is forgotten.
Founded nationally in 1942, just six weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Blue Star Mothers of America is a Congressionally Chartered 501(c)(3) veterans service organization open to mothers, stepmothers, adoptive mothers, foster mothers, and grandmothers of those who have served or are currently serving in the United States Armed Forces.
The Antelope Valley chapter, CA14, was organized on August 28, 2005, and has served the High Desert community for nearly 20 years as a nonpartisan, nonpolitical, and nonsectarian organization. Members assemble and ship care packages to service members stationed around the globe — coordinating with local schools to include handwritten cards and community messages alongside food and hygiene supplies — and actively honor fallen warriors, support Gold Star Families, advocate for POWs and MIAs, and champion suicide prevention among veterans.
“The Antelope Valley Blue Star Mothers represent the very best of what it means to serve,” said Valladares. “These are mothers, grandmothers, and family members who know firsthand the sacrifice that comes with sending a loved one into uniform — and instead of waiting at home, they got to work. Their presence at memorials, their care packages crossing oceans, and their quiet work purchasing headstones for veterans with none — that is what service beyond self looks like. District 23 is deeply proud to call them our own.”
The Senate District 23 Nonprofit of the Year designation recognizes organizations that demonstrate exceptional commitment to community, embody the values of service and sacrifice, and make a measurable difference in the lives of residents across the district.
By Los Angeles County Politics
