FEMA hiring overhaul drives fears of agency dismantling
The decision to reshape the hiring process for the agency's disaster relief foot soldiers comes just months before hurricane season.
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The decision to reshape the hiring process for the agency's disaster relief foot soldiers comes just months before hurricane season.
The cancellation of courses at National Fire Academy comes as the federally funded institution was set to welcome a new set of fire safety officers for training next week.
The chief financial officer at FEMA was fired after Elon Musk alleged she illegally sent funds to New York City to book luxury hotels for migrants. However, in an interview with CBS Evening News co-anchor Maurice DuBois, Mary Comans says a member of DOGE directed her to make the payments. DuBois joins "America Decides" with the latest.
"They told me to do these actions, to make these payments, and then they fired me," said Mary Comans, who was FEMA's chief financial officer.
Former FEMA CFO Mary Comans, who was fired in February by the Trump administration for sending payments to New York City to cover hotels for migrants, says she was following DOGE's directions. Comans speaks out for the first time since her firing in an exclusive interview with "CBS Evening News" co-anchor Maurice DuBois.
A FEMA-funded buyout program only provides 75% of the funding for the city to buy affected properties at fair market value, while the remaining share is absorbed by sellers.
After meeting with the White House border czar on Thursday, Mayor Eric Adams says he agreed to allow ICE agents onto Rikers Island to find violent criminals.
People on both sides of the political aisle think the Federal Emergency Management Agency needs to change, but could President Trump's plan to address issues worsen things? Sophia Cai, White House reporter for Politico, and Fin Gómez, CBS News political reporter, join "America Decides" to discuss.
As President Trump visited Los Angeles and met victims who lost their homes in the area's historic wildfires, he suggested that the future of FEMA is uncertain. The damage caused by the Palisades and Eaton fires is now estimated at up to $275 billion. Elise Preston reports.
President Trump is traveling to natural disaster areas for his first official trip outside of Washington, D.C., since taking office earlier this week. CBS News White House reporter Willie James Inman has more on Trump's plans for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The president said the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been too bureaucratic and slow in its response to disasters.
President Trump said Friday he was planning to sign an executive order that could lead to an overhaul, or elimination, of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan examines what this could mean. She also discusses why Mr. Trump removed the federal security detail for Dr. Anthony Fauci.
President Trump spoke at a briefing in Los Angeles on Friday after touring wildfire damage. He pledged to surge federal resources to the Golden State to help with its recovery efforts.
President Trump suggested getting rid of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and letting individual states coordinate disaster responses. Former FEMA regional administrator Thomas Sivak joins "The Daily Report" to discuss its role after major disasters and if individual states can pick up the slack.
Firefighters are still working to contain blazes that have erupted in Southern California. Tom LoBianco, national politics reporter for 24sight News, and Maeve Reston, national political reporter for The Washington Post, join "America Decides" to discuss President Trump's visit to the state Friday to survey the destruction.
During week one of the new Trump administration, the president initiated a strict border crackdown, greenlit fossil fuel exploration and more. CBS News' Camilo Montoya-Galvez and Weijia Jiang join "America Decides" to recap the first days of Trump's return.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom greeted President Trump and first lady Melania Trump in Los Angeles on Friday for their tour of areas impacted by wildfires. CBS News White House reporter Willie James Inman has more.
FEMA and the Los Angeles Fire Department are ramping up efforts to counter false rumors and misinformation spreading online about the wildfires.
Face the Nation Moderator Margaret Brennan speaks with the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency about the devastating wildfires in Southern California.
Thousands of Los Angeles homeowners do not have home insurance. Several private insurers in California have either raised prices or completely removed their coverage in at-risk areas. Business Insider senior sustainability reporter Catherine Boudreau joins "The Daily Report" to discuss.
Republican Rep. Rich McCormick of Georgia joins "America Decides" to discuss if he will support the Republican's new spending deal.
Congressional leaders have unveiled a stopgap bill to keep the government funded through March 14, 2025. CBS News congressional correspondent Nikole Killion has the latest from Capitol Hill.
Increasingly intense wildfires have become more common in California, upending the lives of thousands. Many insurers are dwindling coverage options, leaving several homes in danger. Business Insider senior sustainability reporter Catherine Boudreau joins "The Daily Report" to discuss.
The U.S. faced an unprecedented 179 disasters in 2024, according to FEMA, affecting millions of Americans and wiping out some towns. CBS News' Nicole Sganga spoke with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell about these catastrophes and the dwindling funds to help those affected.
The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency testified before the House Oversight Committee on Tuesday about the agency's response to hurricanes Helene and Milton and its future funding. CBS News congressional correspondent Scott MacFarlane has the details.
Meanwhile, a search-and-rescue mission for a downed fighter jet crew member is ongoing as the war in the Middle East rages on.
The changes were likely to affect Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, the No. 3 official at the Justice Department and Harmeet Dhillon, the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.
The government's legal bid to continue East Wing construction has the hallmarks of President Trump's social media posts.
A possibly frozen vent line forced the Artemis II astronauts to avoid using their space toilet while engineers worked to resolve the problem.
The ruling follows a lawsuit filed earlier this month by a coalition of 17 Democratic state attorneys general.
Janice Randle was found dead in her bed in 1992, but police couldn't make an arrest in the case until new information emerged.
Washington, D.C., first responders said the building's structural integrity will be assessed once the bus is removed.
All men were charged Friday with arson and being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asked George to step down and take immediate retirement, CBS News exclusively reported earlier this week.
Every few months for the past three years, Jeff Vierstra has been receiving infusions in his spine that target and disable a mutated gene that made it likely he would develop ALS.
The ruling follows a lawsuit filed earlier this month by a coalition of 17 Democratic state attorneys general.
Washington, D.C., first responders said the building's structural integrity will be assessed once the bus is removed.
Frontenac, Kansas had everything it needed – except a public library. A mysterious donation changed that
The government's legal bid to continue East Wing construction has the hallmarks of President Trump's social media posts.
One consumer reported sustaining bruising and burn injuries.
Goolsbee, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, said mounting inflation risks "complicates the picture" on interest rates.
U.S. consumers are starting to feel the financial impact of the Iran war. Here's how the conflict is seeping into the economy.
The eye drops — sold under multiple brands — have been recalled over concerns about sterility, according to the FDA.
Hiring was much stronger than expected in March, with employers adding roughly three times the number of jobs economists predicted.
Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were granted U.S. asylum in 2019, but the government is now moving to strip them of their green cards.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asked George to step down and take immediate retirement, CBS News exclusively reported earlier this week.
The changes were likely to affect Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, the No. 3 official at the Justice Department and Harmeet Dhillon, the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.
The war shows no signs of slowing as Iran responds to airstrikes with attacks across the region.
The ruling follows a lawsuit filed earlier this month by a coalition of 17 Democratic state attorneys general.
Every few months for the past three years, Jeff Vierstra has been receiving infusions in his spine that target and disable a mutated gene that made it likely he would develop ALS.
"CBS Saturday Morning" looks at an experimental treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease, that is bringing hope to some patients suffering from the neurodegenerative disease. To inquire about possible participation in Silence ALS, an initiative to develop individualized gene-based therapies for patients with other rare genetic forms of ALS, please write to silenceals@cumc.columbia.edu.
John Cantrell was enjoying his retirement until an unexpected condition forced him to choose between two kinds of heart surgery.
The Environmental Protection Agency also added microplastics to its contaminant candidate list for the first time.
The FDA approved a new GLP-1 drug from Eli Lilly. Dr. Jon LaPook breaks it down.
Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were granted U.S. asylum in 2019, but the government is now moving to strip them of their green cards.
All men were charged Friday with arson and being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.
The attacks came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Istanbul for talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The incident comes after a string of similar nighttime attacks across Europe that have heightened concerns over antisemitism.
Videos broadcast by local television stations showed a large crowd of fans in the south stands amidst an explosion of fireworks.
The search continues for a missing American service member after Iran shot down an F-15E fighter jet on Friday. Meanwhile, the Artemis II passed its halfway point to the moon.
Kenan Thompson sits down with Kelly O'Grady to reflect on his career and parenthood while discussing his new children's book "Unfunny Bunny."
Alabama native Drayton Farley was working at a local auto plant and making bedroom recordings just a few years ago. Now he's being compared to Americana greats like Tyler Childers and Jason Isbell. His new album, "A Heavy Duty Heart," is out now. Here's Drayton Farley performing "It's Called Doubt."
Alabama native Drayton Farley was working at a local auto plant and making bedroom recordings just a few years ago. Now he's being compared to Americana greats like Tyler Childers and Jason Isbell. His new album, "A Heavy Duty Heart," is out now. Here's Drayton Farley performing "The Luckier Ones."
Alabama native Drayton Farley was working at a local auto plant and making bedroom recordings just a few years ago. Now he's being compared to Americana greats like Tyler Childers and Jason Isbell. His new album, "A Heavy Duty Heart," is out now. Here's Drayton Farley performing "I Need Your Love."
"CBS Mornings" sits down with Tristan Harris, co-founder and president of the Center for Humane Technology, who is featured in the 2026 documentary, "The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist."
CBS News contributor Patrick McGee joins "The Daily Report" to discuss the codependent relationship between Apple and China, a country that manufactures hundreds of millions of iPhones every year.
From labor shortages to environmental impacts, farmers are looking to AI to help revolutionize the agriculture industry. One California startup, Farm-ng, is tapping into the power of AI and robotics to perform a wide range of tasks, including seeding, weeding and harvesting.
The JPMorgan Chase CEO said the bank may one day introduce prediction market features, but said "there's a bunch of stuff we won't do" in that space.
Many have dreamed of a future with flying cars, eliminating traffic on the morning commute. One company is trying to make that dream a reality. Itay Hod reports.
NASA's Artemis II astronauts will spend about 24 hours orbiting the Earth and running checks on their spacecraft and life support systems before heading to the moon.
Four astronauts are traveling around the moon on Artemis II, going further from Earth than anyone before. CBS News' Mark Strassmann and Peter King have more.
Former NASA astronaut Clayton Anderson joins CBS News to discuss what the Artemis II astronauts will do as they orbit the Earth after takeoff.
Members of the Artemis II crew will be the first people to sleep inside the Orion spacecraft. CBS News' Kris Van Cleave has more on how they'll do that.
The science and technology behind using the restroom in space continues to evolve. CBS News senior transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave looks at the out-of-this-world facilities available to the Artemis II crew.
Janice Randle was found dead in her bed in 1992, but police couldn't make an arrest in the case until new information emerged.
On April 3, 1996, the FBI arrested Theodore Kaczynski in the Unabomber case, ending one of the longest and most intense manhunts in U.S. history. Watch CBS News' coverage from that day.
President Trump's firing of Attorney General Pam Bondi is raising questions about their dynamic in the months prior. CBS News' Weijia Jiang reports.
A mother and daughter are accused of killing a man by poisoning his root beer float. CBS News' Peter Van Sant reports.
Golf icon Tiger Woods told officers at the scene of a Florida car crash where he was arrested for DUI that he was "just talking to the president." It's unclear if Woods was referring to President Trump. CBS News' Nicole Valdes reports.
A possibly frozen vent line forced the Artemis II astronauts to avoid using their space toilet while engineers worked to resolve the problem.
The Artemis II astronauts continued their long coast to the moon, capturing stunning photos along the way.
The photo shows the entire planet, as well as the Northern and Southern lights.
The engine firing provided a slingshot-like boost to the Orion capsule, speeding it to 24,500 mph, the velocity needed to break free of Earth's gravitational clasp for a trek to the moon.
NASA's Artemis II astronauts will spend about 24 hours orbiting the Earth and running checks on their spacecraft and life support systems before heading to the moon.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
Does the evidence show a cover-up, or was Todd Kendhammer wrongfully convicted for the murder of his wife?
Christy Salters-Martin dominated in the boxing ring but faced her toughest challenger at home.
Family seeks answers in death of newlywed who disappeared in 2005 while on Mediterranean honeymoon cruise.
Meet the tattooed beauty charged in the death of Google executive Forrest Hayes.
Meet the woman who rescued a piece of the Oscars in a dumpster. Plus, we take a trip to Hollwyood to learn about the history of America's iconic film industry.
The search continues for a missing American service member after Iran shot down an F-15E fighter jet on Friday. Meanwhile, the Artemis II passed its halfway point to the moon.
"CBS Saturday Morning" visits Jollof Bowl, which is bringing West African flavors to Baltimore.
Kenan Thompson sits down with Kelly O'Grady to reflect on his career and parenthood while discussing his new children's book "Unfunny Bunny."
Frontenac, Kansas, is a community of 3,000 residents. When its city administrator received a mysterious $4.6 million dolllar donation from a couple whose dying wish was for a library to be built, the town sprung into action to solidify its legacy.