The Briefing
• The Federal Emergency Management Agency would have an estimated $7 billion–$8 billion in its Disaster Relief Fund to support ongoing winter storm response if a partial government shutdown begins Jan. 30.
• The agency is actively assisting state and local efforts responding to a widespread winter storm that left hundreds of thousands without power and caused dozens of deaths.
• FEMA’s ability to use those funds in the short term was affirmed by experts and former officials despite public warnings from the administration.
• Funding for some FEMA programs outside the Disaster Relief Fund, such as National Flood Insurance operations, could pause during a shutdown.
By MES Dispatch staff
WASHINGTON, DC — The Federal Emergency Management Agency is expected to maintain its response to the ongoing winter storm even if a partial government shutdown begins at midnight Friday, officials and experts said.
Matt Rourke/AP
FEMA would continue operations using its Disaster Relief Fund, which is estimated to hold between $7 billion and $8 billion after funds from the latest appropriations bill potentially expire, according to people familiar with agency planning.
The agency has been supporting state and local responses to extreme winter weather that affected large areas of the United States, coordinating emergency aid and pre-positioning resources such as generators and supplies.
Experts said the remaining balance in the Disaster Relief Fund should cover near-term needs tied to the storm and other likely demands over the coming weeks, even if broader federal funding lapses.
However, FEMA operations funded outside the Disaster Relief Fund, including the National Flood Insurance Program’s policy actions, could be suspended during a shutdown, and essential personnel might work without pay, experts noted.
As of this report, Congress had not finalized funding to avert a shutdown, and federal agencies including the Department of Homeland Security have been negotiating the fiscal year 2026 budget.