Abbott Exploits Floods for Political Gain While Texans Suffer
Abbott Has the Money and Authority—But Won’t Use It
Every day of delay makes more Texans sick from mold exposure and contaminated water while available funds sit unused.
Texas law gives Abbott explicit authority to “use all available resources of state government” during disasters—no special session required.
Abbott previously used disaster declarations for political projects like reallocating $250 million for Trump’s border wall, but won’t do the same for flood victims.
Political Theater Over People’s Lives
Flood victims are being held hostage to Trump’s political agenda while living in mold-damaged homes.
Less than a quarter of the special session agenda addresses disasters. The session was planned before the floods even occurred and is dominated by Republican priorities that failed during the regular session.
Abbott is using floods as cover for Trump’s redistricting demands. Congressional redistricting is one of the top agenda items, along with abortion restrictions and transgender bathroom legislation.
Democratic leaders call it “stunning betrayal” and “disgusting political gamesmanship,” with House Democrats blocking votes by leaving the state.
Trump and Abbott Gut Federal Disaster Response
Over 16,000 FEMA calls went unanswered due to Trump’s bureaucratic obstacles and incompetence.
New DHS rules require Secretary Noem’s approval for every contract over $100,000, delaying search and rescue operations for more than 72 hours after flooding began.
Abbott sits on Trump’s FEMA Review Council, helping to gut the agency that has provided Texas nearly $15 billion in disaster funds since 2015.
Trump eliminated critical flood mitigation programs, immediately jeopardizing $74 million in hazard mitigation funding for Texas.
Texas gets special treatment while other states wait months for disaster assistance approval—masking the true impact of FEMA cuts.
The Bottom Line
Abbott has the authority and the funds—he’s choosing not to use them. Instead of helping flood survivors, he’s focused on Trump’s orders to redistrict and advance partisan priorities.
Texans are delivering water to their own neighbors while billions in emergency funds sit unused. Texans deserve action, not excuses.
