Vance Calls Out Bureaucracy Slowing Federal Emergency Response In Visit To Virginia

Vice President J.D. Vance said Monday that the Trump administration would work to slash the bureaucracy slowing down the federal response to natural disasters during a visit to storm-ravaged Virginia. 

Vance criticized bureaucrats impeding the federal response to recent hurricanes during a meeting with hurricane victims, relief workers, lawmakers, and businessmen in Damascus, Virginia. The stop in Damascus, which was devastated by flooding caused by Hurricane Helene last year, marked Vance’s first domestic trip as vice president. 

“The bureaucracy and the red tape is not an excuse for the government to not do its job,” Vance said when speaking to reporters. “We’re not going to be perfect. We never will be. Government is as fallible as the people who run it, but we can do a heck of a lot better than we have over the last few years, and that is something that President Trump and I are committed to doing.”

One issue Vance mentioned, in particular, was the $90,000 gap in the amount of relief victims could apply for to rebuild their homes and the average cost of home damages. 

“Now, to be clear, the continued resolution that was passed just a few weeks ago actually does have the resources to fill that gap, but only if the bureaucrats get out of the way and actually make sure that people get the money that they’re entitled to that the American people have decided that we want to contribute and we want to fund this incredible redevelopment, but it’s got to happen quicker than it’s been happening with the bureaucracy in Washington,” Vance told reporters. 

Another issue touched on by Vance was housing in North Carolina. Vance said that FEMA regulations had blocked people from putting up temporary housing in certain parts of the state. 

“I think one of the takeaways of just my time the last week being the people’s vice president is they should have higher expectations for their federal government,” Vance said. 

Vance met with a number of local and state officials, including Governor Glenn Youngkin, during his visit to Damascus.

In a statement, Youngkin thanked Vance “for honoring your word and returning to Damascus for your first official visit. Your commitment to Southwest Virginia and leadership in advancing Hurricane Helene recovery efforts to rebuild and strengthen our community are deeply appreciated.”

Trump signed an executive order on Friday to create a council to investigate FEMA and deliver solutions to reform and improve the agency.