Kristi Noem slams Democrats over DHS shutdown as federal assistance approved for Potomac spill

WASHINGTON, DC: Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on Saturday, February 21, targeted Democratic lawmakers over their continued refusal to back a funding package for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) while providing an update on the waste cleanup effort in the Potomac River.

Her remarks came as federal officials moved forward with assistance efforts after a sewer line collapse in a Maryland suburb triggered a major sewage spill in the Potomac River. The dispute unfolds amid a partial DHS shutdown and heightened political tensions in the nation’s capital.

Kristi Noem slams Democrats, says DHS won't let citizens 'suffer without help'

Earlier Saturday, President Donald Trump approved DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s request for federal disaster assistance as the city works to clean up the river following a sewer line collapse.

“Even as Democrat politicians shut us down and these men and women go without pay, DHS is committed to providing much needed aid to the Americans impacted by this disaster,” Noem posted on the social platform X (formerly Twitter).

She further said, “We will not let our citizens suffer without help.”

Noem’s criticism comes during a partial DHS shutdown after a funding vote for the department failed to pass the House earlier this month. Democrats have called for Noem to step down from her role and have said they will not support funding for the department until several key reform demands are met.

These demands are aimed at curtailing federal agents’ use of force during immigration enforcement operations across the country. The Trump administration ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address the devastating sewage spill in the waterway.

Noem stated that she is working closely with EPA Director Lee Zeldin to coordinate the response. FEMA falls under the jurisdiction of DHS. “FEMA is deploying a team to support incident management, working directly with local officials and federal partners to coordinate federal resources,” Noem said.

She continued, “EPA will lead the federal response while DHS gov and FEMA leverage all our resources to ensure the cleanup is swift and effective.”

Federal response and Mayor Muriel Bowser’s statement

Bowser was asked about the status of her request for federal disaster assistance. She noted that the EPA and FEMA had already begun coordinating with the District. "We expect 100% reimbursement. That's why I agreed to do it," Bowser said.

FEMA can now provide equipment and resources to local authorities to repair the broken pipe and mitigate the environmental effects of the spill. The cost of repair and remediation, under an existing agreement shared by DC, Maryland, and Virginia, currently stands at $20 million.

Officials revealed the extent of progress on Friday, which had been set back by a large sewage overflow on February 9. Officials also stated that drinking water remains safe because the intake currently in use is upstream from the break.

The mayor's office said in a statement on social media, “The water used for our drinking water is being pulled from upstream of the break (at Great Falls), Any sewage that went into the river because of the break in the Potomac Interceptor flowed away from the water intake and not towards it.”

"An intake site for drinking water does exist downstream from the break, at Little Falls, but it was not in operation during the spill and it remains closed," the statement added.