Texas families deserve state leadership in the absence of federal aid

DALLAS, TX — As families in Kerr County continue recovering from devastating floods, Texans are once again witnessing neighbors carrying the burden while communities wait for federal assistance. Volunteers, local organizations, and donors have stepped up to help, but charity should never be expected to replace government leadership during a disaster. And this shouldn’t be happening again. At a time like this, the State of Texas must do everything within its power to ensure affected communities have the resources they need to begin rebuilding.

The governor doesn’t control FEMA, but he does control how aggressively the state responds while Texans wait.  He’s had more than a year to implement better emergency response mechanisms as well as build greater flood mitigation projects. This is also the moment for Gov. Greg Abbott to cash in on the years he has spent being a MAGA lap-dog and demand  by using every relationship and every ounce of political capital to push for the fastest possible federal response. At the same time, Texas should be deploying every available state resource, accelerating damage assessments, coordinating closely with local officials, and providing meaningful bridge assistance so families, small businesses, and local governments are not left wondering when help will arrive.  

Every Texan deserves to know that when disaster strikes, their state will stand beside them. The people of Kerr County have shown remarkable resilience, and their neighbors have answered the call with extraordinary generosity. Now it is time for state leaders to step up with the same urgency, ensuring no community is forced to rely on goodwill alone while waiting for the help they need to recover.