North Carolina Rep. Chuck Edwards (R) hammered the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during an interview, saying the agency needs to be overhauled and have a new director at its helm. 

“Well, we continue to be frustrated with FEMA, their communication, their sensitivity, quite frankly, to those folks who have lost their homes, who are displaced because of the storm,” Edwards, whose district suffered devastating damage and flooding from Hurricane Helene four months ago, said during his Tuesday appearance on NewsNation’s show “The Hill.” 

“That is an organization that clearly needs to be overhauled, and I'm anxious to be a part of that after January 20,” he told host Blake Burman. 

Burman then asked the GOP lawmaker how he would modernize the government agency. 

“First of all, we need we need a new director, a new administrator, and we've got to change the culture of FEMA,” Edwards said Tuesday. “There's too much government bureaucracy and not nearly enough caring about the folks that they should be tasked to help.” 

The agency, tasked with assisting states and communities ravaged by disasters like Hurricanes Helene and Milton, has come under fire from some residents and lawmakers in late 2024 over its response in Florida and North Carolina. 

The scrutiny intensified after one of its workers was fired for allegedly advising an assistance team in Florida to not visit homes that displayed signs favorable to President-elect Trump. FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell was called to Capitol Hill to testify. The incident also led to an internal audit from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General Joseph Cuffari which kicked off on Dec. 17. 

FEMA also been under the microscope over its operation in California amid the ongoing wildfires that have displaced hundreds of thousands of residents.

Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) pressed the agency for reportedly denying assistance claims over lack of insurance information.

“I am hearing about frustrations with FEMA because they have done what we asked, which is to sign up on the disasterassistance.gov site, and then some of them have gotten denied approvals or non-approvals,” Chu, whose district has been damaged by the Eaton Fire, said on Tuesday. 

Chu encouraged constituents to call FEMA directly if their claims are denied or to visit the new disaster resource center to “ask what is going on with their application.”

The Hill has reached out to the agency for comment. 

NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group which also owns The Hill.

The draft is three weeks away now. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson have pieced together an off-season that is earning widespread praise across the league. The question is whether they can stick the landing with their 1st round pick in the draft. Current projections have the top three picks likely being a mix of Cam Ward, Travis Hunter, and Abdul Carter. After that, it gets tricky. People in Chicago want to know where running back Ashton Jeanty will end once the dust settles.

Widespread belief has been that the Las Vegas Raiders are the heavy favorites to take him at 6th overall, with New Orleans at #9 also being a possibility. It makes sense. Las Vegas’ best option right now is a 33-year-old Raheem Mostert. New Orleans knows Alvin Kamara turns 30 in July. Both teams need to think about the future at that position. Both have head coaches who like to run the ball. One thing is clear. A source told SM that those around the league believe one thing is certain.

“He likely won’t get passed Chicago if he falls that far.”

Ashton Jeanty is a strong probability for the Bears.

Whispers from Halas Hall indicate they love the Boise State star. It isn’t hard to see why. He nearly broke Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record in 2024, nearly winning the Heisman in the process. The guy carried his team to the college football playoffs. He’s built like a brick house with power, speed, contact balance, and vision. There aren’t any truly glaring weaknesses in his game. He’s earned comparisons to the likes of LaDainian Tomlinson and Marshawn Lynch. The Bears haven’t had a back of that caliber since Matt Forte.

Try to imagine what this offense could look like with Ashton Jeanty, Rome Odunze, D.J. Moore, and Cole Kmet all as options for quarterback Caleb Williams. Throw all of it into Johnson’s offense, and you can understand why some people around the league aren’t wild about the idea. They are quietly hoping Jeanty goes somewhere else. One thing is certain. If he gets past the Raiders, the noise will get loud in a hurry. It would mark the first time in 20 years the Bears have taken a running back in the 1st round.