Anons

They wanted access to billions through FEMA

CORONAVIRUS; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 47

(Senate - March 11, 2020)

Booker

First, the President should immediately declare the coronavirus pandemic an emergency under the Stafford Act. That direction would allow FEMA to access over $42 billion in disaster relief funds and support States and communities directly as they deal with the spread of this virus. I am officially calling on President Trump to do that today: Declare this an emergency under the Stafford Act. Free up the FEMA money of $42 billion in disaster relief so that we can work on this issue right now, dealing with it in a way that reflects the seriousness of the threat. The President should act today.

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Public Law 100-707), signed into law on November 23, 1988; amended the Disaster Relief Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-288). The Stafford Act constitutes the statutory authority for most Federal disaster response activities especially as they pertain to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and FEMA programs.

Note: As of December 18, 2015, the definition of Private Nonprofit Facility at section 102(11)(B) includes “broadcasting facilities”.  

https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/15271