Alex Padilla U.S. Senator for California

Senators: “When disaster strikes, Americans should have confidence the government will safeguard their data, regardless of the Administration at the helm”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) demanded answers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) reportedly accessed sensitive personal data of disaster survivors.

Senators Padilla and Welch led 10 of their colleagues from disaster-impacted states in sounding the alarm on DOGE’s potential security breach. This breach is particularly concerning as Californians request federal disaster assistance following the devastating Southern California fires last month.

The Senators also requested more information on the procedures FEMA follows to protect data from misuse, and questioned whether DOGE’s unaccountable agents were in compliance with federal law.

“In order to register for federal disaster assistance and receive help rebuilding their communities, our constituents have provided their personally identifiable information to FEMA. They did not do so with the expectation that their sensitive information would be turned over to unvetted, unaccountable DOGE agents,” wrote the Senators.

“When disaster strikes, Americans should have confidence the government will safeguard their data, regardless of the Administration at the helm,” continued the Senators. “Reports indicate you have breached that trust—perhaps in violation of federal privacy law.” 

In their letter, the Senators also expressed that while Congress must better equip FEMA and communities with the tools needed to cut through red tape and quickly assist disaster victims, these reforms “do not require, or come close to justifying, the invasive measures DOGE has reportedly undertaken.” 

In addition to Senators Padilla and Welch, Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also signed the letter.

The Senators requested responses to the following questions to understand the scope of the breach and the extent of FEMA’s compliance with federal law: 

• Please provide a complete list of individuals authorized by FEMA to access disaster victims’ data and records during the period between January 20, 2025, and February 14, 2025. Please indicate whether those individuals are employees of FEMA, the White House, DOGE, or another federal agency and specify the agency. If the individuals are not federal employees, please indicate that in your response.  

• What are the individuals specified above authorized to do with disaster victims’ data and records, and what types of data were obtained?  

• What procedures does FEMA follow to protect disaster victims’ data from misuse? Are DOGE-affiliated individuals required to follow those procedures?   

• How many Americans’ personally identifiable data has been accessed by DOGE-affiliated individuals? What vetting did these individuals undergo prior to their being granted access to FEMA systems? 

Senator Padilla has fought relentlessly to secure and protect Southern Californians’ access to desperately needed disaster relief aid. In the immediate aftermath of the Los Angeles fires, Padilla and Senator Schiff led 47 bipartisan members of the California Congressional delegation in successfully urging President Biden to grant Governor Gavin Newsom’s request for a major disaster declaration to expedite timely relief to Los Angeles County residents impacted by these disasters. Last month, Padilla delivered remarks on the Senate floor urging his Republican colleagues and President Trump to provide essential disaster recovery aid to California without conditioning it on the passage of partisan legislation. He also sharply rebuked the order from President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to freeze all congressionally approved federal grants and loans, including disaster relief for Californians, and raised the alarm on OMB Director Russell Vought’s record of withholding federal disaster aid.

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Mr. Hamilton,

We write with serious concern about reports that Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) has obtained access to sensitive information at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), including the personal data of thousands of disaster victims.

The United States has suffered from a growing number of natural disasters over the past several years—from severe flooding in Vermont, Minnesota, and Connecticut and hurricanes in North Carolina, to catastrophic wildfires in Hawai’i, California, New Mexico, and Oregon. In order to register for federal disaster assistance and receive help rebuilding their communities, our constituents have provided their personally identifiable information to FEMA. They did not do so with the expectation that their sensitive information would be turned over to unvetted, unaccountable DOGE agents.

Mr. Musk has stated his desire to eliminate waste at FEMA. We agree the country must examine and thoughtfully consider reforms to the operation of FEMA. Our constituents have experienced first-hand the frustrating bureaucracies that hinder the federal disaster recovery process. Congress must take steps to equip FEMA and communities with the tools needed to better assist disaster victims after the storm has passed. We stand ready to work with anyone willing to fix it.

But such reforms do not require, or come close to justifying, the invasive measures DOGE has reportedly undertaken.

When disaster strikes, Americans should have confidence the government will safeguard their data, regardless of the Administration at the helm. Reports indicate you have breached that trust —perhaps in violation of federal privacy law.

To understand the scope of that breach and the extent of your compliance with federal law, we request responses to the following items by no later than February 28, 2025:

1. Please provide a complete list of individuals authorized by FEMA to access disaster victims’ data and records during the period between January 20, 2025, and February 14, 2025. Please indicate whether those individuals are employees of FEMA, the White House, DOGE, or another federal agency and specify the agency. If the individuals are not federal employees, please indicate that in your response.

2. What are the individuals specified above authorized to do with disaster victims’ data and records, and what types of data were obtained?

3. What procedures does FEMA follow to protect disaster victims’ data from misuse? Are DOGE-affiliated individuals required to follow those procedures?

4. How many Americans’ personally identifiable data has been accessed by DOGE affiliated individuals? What vetting did these individuals undergo prior to their being granted access to FEMA systems?

Sincerely,

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