After Texas Floods, Republican Leaders Offer Prayers — But Few Plans

Some of the country’s most powerful Republicans are getting blasted for their limp response to the deadly floods which ravaged Texas on Friday.Asked what Congress is doing to help disaster victims during “Fox News Sunday,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said, “In a moment like this, we feel just as helpless as everyone else does ... all we know to do at this moment is pray.”Vice President JD Vancehad a similar message in a Saturday morning post on X, writing, “Our nation’s heart breaks for the victims in Texas and their families. Just an incomprehensible tragedy.”Sending the nearly 70 people killed in the floods “the prayers of my family, and of millions of Americans,” he quoted an invocation that said, “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.”Mike Johnson on Texas floods: "In a moment like this, we feel just as helpless as everyone else does ... all we know to do at this moment is pray." pic.twitter.com/f6fP3V7MMg— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 6, 2025Our nation's heart breaks for the victims in Texas and their families. Just an incomprehensible tragedy. I hope everyone affected knows they're in the prayers of my family, and of millions of Americans. ***Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,and let perpetual light shine…— JD Vance (@JDVance) July 5, 2025Heidi and I continue to lift up in prayer the families of the victims.It is imperative that all Texans heed the warnings and guidance of law enforcement.Please stay safe. https://t.co/a51mp4K5j2— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) July 5, 2025Senator Ted Cruz also turned to X, writing that he and wife Heidi Cruz are continuing “to lift up in prayer the families of the victims.”“It is imperative that all Texans heed the warnings and guidance of law enforcement,” his post continued. “Please stay safe.”Online, many people slammed the men for only offering hopes and prayers after gutting government agencies tasked with warning citizens about severe weather and responding to natural disasters.Hundreds of staffers working for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were fired earlier this year, leaving the agency severely understaffed and weather forecasting services without many senior meteorologists.Tom Fahy, legislative director of the National Weather Service’s Employees Organization, told NBC News that while forecasting offices had “adequate staffing and resources as they issued timely forecasts and warnings leading up to the storm,” vacant leadership positions were “clearly a concern.”The U.S.’ Federal Emergency Management Agency, meanwhile, is set to lose $664 million of funding from the Republican party’s so-called “big, beautiful bill” which passed on Thursday after President Donald Trump previously announced he was planning to “wean off FEMA” after this year’s hurricane season ends.Though Trump announced he had signed a “major disaster declaration” for Kerr County, Texas, Sunday on Truth Social, many worry that the agency will be strapped for resources during future recovery efforts.

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