NY AG詹姆斯胜诉捍卫数十亿美元防灾资金

New York – In a major victory for disaster preparedness, New York Attorney General Letitia James triumphed in a lawsuit against the federal administration’s illegal termination of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. The BRIC program, FEMA’s largest disaster preparedness initiative, supports vital infrastructure projects to safeguard communities before disasters strike.

Attorney General James led a coalition of 20 other state attorneys general and the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania in challenging the federal government’s move to end the program. The United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled that terminating the BRIC program was illegal, upholding its continuation with billions of dollars in funding allocated to protect lives and property from natural disasters.

‘From devastating wildfires to record-breaking storms, communities across the nation are facing escalating threats from increasingly destructive natural disasters,’ said Attorney General James. ‘The BRIC program is crucial for preparing states for these emergencies and saving lives. This ruling is a monumental win for New Yorkers and millions nationwide whose safety was jeopardized by this administration’s reckless attempt to dismantle this vital program.’

Despite widespread support, the Trump administration abruptly terminated the BRIC program in April 2025, diverting over $4 billion from FEMA’s pre-disaster mitigation fund. New York state had 38 BRIC projects at risk, totaling over $380 million. The city of New York, vulnerable to flooding, stood to lose funds for 19 critical projects.

Attorney General James and the coalition filed a lawsuit in July 2025 against FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), securing a preliminary injunction to keep BRIC intact. The court’s decision on December 11 confirmed that FEMA’s termination of BRIC was unconstitutional, violating Congress’s appropriation of funds and the Separation of Powers Clause.

Joining Attorney General James were the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, along with the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.