During an appearance on NewsNation’s Dan Abrams Live on Tuesday, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) emphasized the importance of prioritizing immediate disaster relief for affected families while considering conditional measures to strengthen future preparedness.
Cuellar highlighted the need for a measured approach, stating, “We need to focus first on helping those families—someone who lost their home, someone who can’t go back to their houses anymore, the children, the families, the mothers, the fathers. That’s what we need to focus on.” He added that political debates should take a backseat to addressing the needs of disaster victims, saying, “We can talk about politics at a later time.”
However, Cuellar also acknowledged the potential value of implementing conditions on disaster aid to ensure that lessons are learned and applied. “If we are going to put ‘conditions’ to make it better the next time so we can be stronger for the next disaster, I can understand that,” he explained. “But just to punish people because one state is blue or red—I don’t think we need to go that way.”
The discussion also touched on historical precedent for such conditions. Host Dan Abrams referenced the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in 2017, which caused $190 billion in damages and left over 200,000 people without power in Cuellar’s district. Abrams noted that federal rebuilding rules have previously included climate-related conditions, such as those implemented under the Obama administration and later revoked during the Trump administration.
Cuellar agreed, stating, “Conditions are nothing new. We’ve done that. We want to make sure that we learn the lessons and apply them as we move forward.” He emphasized that any conditions placed on aid should aim to improve preparedness rather than politicize disaster response.
Cuellar concluded by reaffirming his priorities: “My focus has always been to help the folks that need the help. If we’re going to add certain conditions, make sure it’s to make it better the next time—whether it’s a hurricane, fire, earthquake, or other disaster.”
By advocating for both immediate relief and long-term resilience, Cuellar underscores the importance of balancing compassionate assistance with strategic planning to safeguard communities against future crises.
