Disaster Relief and the Fight for Fairness
Disaster doesn’t discriminate—but disaster relief often does. When hurricanes rip through North Carolina or when floods submerge entire communities, residents of the 7th District aren’t thinking about politics. They’re thinking about survival. And yet, the government’s response to these crises has long been anything but fair. That’s where the Disaster Assistance Fairness Act, co-sponsored by Rep. David Rouzer, supposedly comes in. But does it really help? Or is it just another headline-grabbing political maneuver?
Under current FEMA guidelines, homeowners in condominiums, housing cooperatives, and homeowner associations are often left in the lurch. While individual homeowners can receive federal assistance to rebuild, those living in multi-unit buildings are frequently denied aid for common areas—meaning essential components like roofs, stairwells, and plumbing go unrepaired, leaving entire communities vulnerable. Rouzer’s bill aims to fix this inequity, ensuring these communities can access disaster relief funds. Sounds great, right? But as always, the devil is in the details.
While the bill expands access to FEMA aid for certain groups, it does nothing to address the deeper, systemic failures of our disaster response system. FEMA assistance remains notoriously slow, underfunded, and—perhaps most critically—biased. Research consistently shows that disaster relief is disproportionately distributed to wealthier, white communities, while lower-income and minority neighborhoods receive less aid and face steeper barriers to recovery. Where is Rouzer’s outrage over that?
Moreover, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: funding. The same lawmakers championing this bill, Rouzer included, are the ones slashing FEMA’s budget in spending bills. Just recently, Rouzer voted in favor of a GOP spending package that cut funding for emergency preparedness, climate resilience programs, and disaster mitigation efforts. What good is expanding eligibility for aid if there’s no money left in the pot? What happens when the next hurricane barrels through Wilmington and residents are left fighting for scraps?
Rouzer’s track record on disaster response is, at best, inconsistent. He co-sponsors a bill to make FEMA aid more inclusive, yet he consistently votes for legislation that weakens environmental protections, exacerbates climate change, and worsens the very disasters that necessitate FEMA’s existence. His ties to fossil fuel lobbyists and developers—industries that profit from environmental deregulation—make it hard to take his sudden concern for disaster victims at face value.
And let’s not forget the broader context. The Trump administration’s new budget proposal includes significant cuts to social safety nets, including disaster relief programs. FEMA’s ability to respond effectively is already compromised by staffing shortages, administrative chaos, and political interference. If Rouzer truly cares about his constituents, why isn’t he fighting to protect FEMA’s funding? Why isn’t he speaking out against the broader assault on government agencies tasked with disaster response?
The people of North Carolina’s 7th District deserve more than empty gestures. They deserve real, sustained investment in disaster preparedness, infrastructure resilience, and equitable relief distribution. They deserve a representative who doesn’t just show up when there’s a press conference to be had but who consistently fights for policies that put people over profit.
Next time Rouzer touts this bill as a victory for North Carolina, ask him where he stands on FEMA’s budget. Ask him why he supports policies that fuel the climate crisis. Ask him whether he’s fighting for disaster survivors—or just his next campaign contribution. Because disaster relief shouldn’t be a partisan issue. And yet, here we are, watching the same political games play out while real people suffer.
Where’s Rouzer? Right where he always is—doing just enough to look like he cares, while making sure nothing actually changes.
Hold Rouzer accountable. Call 202-225-2731 and DEMAND ANSWERS!