Today, Congresswomen Deborah Ross (NC-02), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), and Alma Adams (NC-12) called on President Trump to reconsider reported plans to cut staff responsible for administering funding for long-term recovery for Americans affected by natural disasters, including North Carolinians impacted by Hurricane Helene.

“We are gravely concerned by reports that your administration plans to cut 84 percent of the staff in the Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD) at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),” the Congressmembers wrote in a letter. “We strongly urge you to reconsider these drastic cuts that will have lasting impacts on North Carolinians recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Helene.”

They continued, “As you know, HUD – through CPD – is one of the primary federal agencies responsible for long-term recovery efforts for Americans affected by natural disasters…. (The Community Development Block Grant program) supports low- and moderate-income Americans in communities with rebuilding homes and infrastructure, support for small businesses, job training for displaced workers, reinforcing flood resilience, and much more.”

The lawmakers concluded by making clear the importance of maintaining staff in the CPD: “Make no mistake – Western North Carolina faces a long, arduous road to full recovery. You are personally familiar with the scale of the devastation in the region, having visited the disaster area within your first week in office. During your well-publicized visit, you promised to help the people of our great state. It is reprehensible that your administration would consider such drastic cuts to the federal agency responsible for providing that desperately need help.”

Full text of the letter is available here.