WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and 9 Senate Democrats demanded answers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on the potential security breach created by Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), which has reportedly accessed the sensitive personal data of disaster victims.
In a letter to the Senior Official Performing the Duties of FEMA Administrator, the senators requested more information on the procedures FEMA follows to protect data from misuse, and if DOGE's unaccountable agents were in compliance with federal law.
“The United States has suffered from a growing number of natural disasters over the past several years — from severe flooding in Vermont and hurricanes in North Carolina, to catastrophic wildfires in Hawaii and California. In order to register for federal disaster assistance and receive help rebuilding their communities, our constituents have provided their personally identifiable information to FEMA. They did not do so with the expectation that their sensitive information would be turned over to unvetted, unaccountable DOGE agents,” the senators wrote to Cameron Hamilton, the Senior Official Performing the Duties of FEMA Administrator.
“Mr. Musk has stated his desire to eliminate waste at FEMA. We agree the country must examine and thoughtfully consider reforms to the operation of FEMA. Our constituents have experienced first-hand the frustrating bureaucracies that hinder the federal disaster recovery process. Congress must take steps to equip FEMA and communities with the tools needed to better assist disaster victims after the storm has passed. We stand ready to work with anyone willing to fix it,” continued the senators. “But such reforms do not require, or come close to justifying, the invasive measures DOGE has reportedly undertaken.”
The senators concluded, “When disaster strikes, Americans should have confidence the government will safeguard their data, regardless of the Administration at the helm. Reports indicate you have breached that trust — perhaps in violation of federal privacy law.”
In their letter, the senators requested responses to the following questions to understand the scope of that breach and the extent of FEMA’s compliance with federal law:
The full text of the letter is here and below:
Dear Mr. Hamilton,
We write with serious concern about reports that Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) has obtained access to sensitive information at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), including the personal data of thousands of disaster victims.
The United States has suffered from a growing number of natural disasters over the past several years—from severe flooding in Vermont, Minnesota, and Connecticut and hurricanes in North Carolina, to catastrophic wildfires in Hawai’i, California, New Mexico, and Oregon. In order to register for federal disaster assistance and receive help rebuilding their communities, our constituents have provided their personally identifiable information to FEMA. They did not do so with the expectation that their sensitive information would be turned over to unvetted, unaccountable DOGE agents.
Mr. Musk has stated his desire to eliminate waste at FEMA. We agree the country must examine and thoughtfully consider reforms to the operation of FEMA. Our constituents have experienced first-hand the frustrating bureaucracies that hinder the federal disaster recovery process. Congress must take steps to equip FEMA and communities with the tools needed to better assist disaster victims after the storm has passed. We stand ready to work with anyone willing to fix it.
But such reforms do not require, or come close to justifying, the invasive measures DOGE has reportedly undertaken.
When disaster strikes, Americans should have confidence the government will safeguard their data, regardless of the Administration at the helm. Reports indicate you have breached that trust — perhaps in violation of federal privacy law.
To understand the scope of that breach and the extent of your compliance with federal law, we request responses to the following items by no later than February 28, 2025:
Sincerely,
###