Two-faced Steube

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, FL — Have you seen Rep. Greg Steube’s slick taxpayer-funded infomercial? In an unrivaled display of unmitigated gall, he is shown standing in front of Charlotte Harbor, telling us “hurricane season is upon us again, and it’s critical to be prepared for what another storm might bring.” Yet, this is the same man who just helped push through a federal budget that slashes disaster relief funding—leaving FEMA critically underfunded.

​

Steube, a member of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, was a vocal proponent of the recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBBA)—a sweeping legislative package that prioritized tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans while imposing sharp limits on domestic programs, including federal emergency management.

​

So, yes, you read that right. At the very time he was overseeing FEMA’s defunding, he was spending our taxpayer dollars on a glossy, high‑production piece of shameless self-promotion.

​

Disaster Relief Cuts at a Dangerous Time

​

The final version of the OBBBA, which was signed into law by Trump on July 4, contains no new funding for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund (DRF)—its primary account for responding to hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and other national emergencies. Historically, the DRF has been supplemented with $20–$30 billion in annual appropriations. This year, thanks to Steube and other Republicans, the OBBBA provided none. Zilch. Zip. Nada.

​

The DRF is now down to a historic low of under $5 billion at the start of a hurricane season forecasters warn may be “explosively active.” FEMA officials, including Administrator Deanne Criswell, had urged Congress to authorize at least $12 to $15 billion in emergency replenishments. Their warnings were ignored.

​

Instead, lawmakers like Steube backed a reconciliation framework that blocked any such additions and rejected amendments attempting to restore funding. While a few FEMA grant programs (like Olympic and World Cup security grants) were preserved, the agency’s ability to deliver large-scale relief has been crippled.

​

Steube Prioritized Tax Cuts Over Resilience

​

As a Ways and Means member, Steube supported a framework that expanded and made permanent huge tax cuts for the billionaire class — tax cuts that came at the expense of discretionary budgets, including FEMA’s.

​

So Steube stood next to Charlotte Harbor in front of a taxpayer-funded camera crew and told his constituents to be prepared for hurricane season while he was actively working to de-fund the agency that aids our communities when hurricanes devastate them.  

​

“He’s telling us to be prepared, but he’s voting to make sure we don’t have the federal help we need when storms hit,” said Rev. Mike Ford, the pastor of the Congregational United Church of Christ in Punta Gorda. “It’s hypocrisy on camera.”

​

Florida Left Exposed

​

Florida counties—especially coastal regions like Charlotte, Lee, and Collier—have historically relied on FEMA to fund evacuation efforts, distribute emergency supplies, and rebuild infrastructure after storms. State officials warn that FEMA’s reduced role could result in:

• Insufficient shelter capacity

• Lack of temporary housing for displaced families

• Weakened National Guard and logistics support

• Delayed reimbursements for local storm cleanup

 

“Steube has helped orchestrate the federal government’s abandonment of Southwest Florida at the worst possible time,” said Bill Welsch, co-organizer of Indivisible Action Southwest Florida. “He continues to shamelessly broadcast his hurricane preparedness message – while declining calls from constituents to explain why he allowed the agency responsible for protecting us to be defunded on his watch.”

​

Written by Cynthia Wolfe