Disaster relief fund threatened as partial shutdown takes hold

Source: Roll Call

Posted February 20, 2026 at 6:00am


The federal government’s main disaster relief fund is dwindling as the partial shutdown of the Homeland Security Department nears the end of its first full week. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is expected to report that its disaster relief fund totals $9.6 billion, a source familiar with the matter said Thursday night.

That is down from the roughly $30 billion balance that existed as of Dec. 31, according to FEMA’s Feb. 3 report to Congress. But since the partial shutdown that began Feb. 14, FEMA lost access to $22.5 billion that had been provided on a temporary basis in a Homeland Security continuing resolution that expired last week.

Democrats refused to back another extension of Homeland Security funding last week as they push for an overhaul of immigration enforcement practices after the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis by federal agents last month.

There’s been no signs of significant movement toward a bipartisan immigration deal this week, either. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that the most recent offer from Democrats was “very unserious,” while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said there has been no “high-level effort” from Republicans.

Read more: https://rollcall.com/2026/02/20/disaster-relief-fund-threatened-as-partial-shutdown-takes-hold/