FEMA was ready to respond to this week's floods in Texas—but was delayed by administrative hurdles and approval processes that took 72 hours to resolve.

Since the July 4 disaster, which has killed at least 120 people, the president and his top aides have focused on the once-in-a-lifetime nature of

On average, it takes five to seven years to develop and implement a new FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. As a result, many maps across the U.S. are significantly out of date, often failing to reflect current land use, urban development or evolving flood risks from extreme weather.

On a FEMA color-coded hazard map, Alameda, Santa Clara and Contra Costa counties are shaded dark red, indicating an area with nearly 4.7 million Californians that face the most dire risks of

Trump lauded local officials amid mounting criticism that they failed to warn residents fast enough that a deadly wall of water was coming their way.

California frequently suffers some of the costliest disasters in the country. Now state officials fear they’ll be left to face them without federal funding.

Trump floated the idea of minimizing FEMA if not getting rid of it as a whole – a position he has softened his stance on

A month ago, the president said he planned to “wean” states off FEMA assistance. Now, the White House has adopted a different line on the agency's future.

President Donald Trump is visiting Texas to survey the damage from recent flash flooding that claimed at least 120 lives. He is expected to face questions on the federal response and his plans to “phase out” FEMA long-term.

As severe flooding devastates parts of Texas, many across the country are asking: What role does FEMA play in disaster response?Experts say the answer starts close to home. According to Dr. Njoki Mwarumba,