In the United States, 20 states led by Democrats filed a lawsuit in Boston federal court on the 16th, demanding the Trump administration to reinstate a $billion disaster relief plan.
The complaint alleges that the Trump administration illegally terminated the “Building Resilient Infrastructure and Community” project in April, which had been approved by Congress. This initiative began in 2018, with funds from the project being used to construct shelters, flood walls, and renovate roads and bridges across the United States.
At the time of its termination, U.S. authorities claimed it was a waste of resources and politically motivated. In early July, following a severe flood in Texas that resulted in numerous deaths and disappearances, Democrats accused the government of inadequate response to the disaster and urged President Trump to reinstate funding for the project.
Furthermore, Democratic lawmakers accused the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Weather Service of job cuts that impacted the response to the Texas flood. The Wall Street Journal quoted an employee of FEMA, stating that the agency’s response time to the Texas flood was delayed by 48 to 72 hours compared to expectations.