Washington, D.C. – Following reporting that a FEMA supervisor ordered relief workers to avoid Donald Trump supporters’ homes during Hurricane Milton relief efforts, I sent a letter to U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell to express my outrage.
This abhorrent behavior also raises questions about potential discrimination in other parts of the country affected by recent hurricanes, including Tennessee.
I wholeheartedly support Governor Bill Lee and Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti’s announcement of an investigation into FEMA’s potential discrimination against Tennesseans, and I urge FEMA to fully comply with this investigation and do everything possible to regain the American people’s trust.
Weekly Rundown
Congress must pass the Kids Online Safety Act before the end of the year to address the growing crisis of youth mental health linked to social media use, with studies showing minors spend more than five hours daily online. I applaud Attorney General Skrmetti for leading 31 state attorneys general in calling for the legislation’s passage to help protect our nation’s children from Big Tech companies seeking to profit from their exploitation.
This week, the Senate passed a resolution Senator Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and I introduced recognizing the 40th anniversary of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), the nation’s leading child protection organization. For over 40 years, NCMEC has been essential to combating the sexual exploitation of children in the United States and has served as a critical resource for children, parents, and law enforcement.
Marsha’s Roundup
ICYMI
- For a list of resources available to Tennesseans affected by Hurricane Helene, visit my website at /www.blackburn.senate.gov/helene. Click here to apply for federal assistance through FEMA.
- Last week, I spoke at a conference on social media and children’s mental health hosted by the Brown University School of Public Health and the Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute. Congress must pass my bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, which passed the Senate 91-3 and would be the first major reform to the tech industry in a generation if signed into law. Watch the full speech here.
- If you are interested in attending the Inaugural Parade, click here.
