As monstrous floodwaters surged across central Texas late last week, officials at the Federal Emergency Management Agency leapt into action, preparing to deploy critical search and rescue teams and life-saving resources,

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called on Wednesday for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be eliminated in its current form, even as the disaster-relief agency deployed specialists and supplies to Texas to help respond to devastating floods.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem did not authorize the deployment of Federal Emergency Management Agency urban search-and-rescue teams in the Texas Hill Country flood disaster until more than 72 hours after the crisis began,