SACRAMENTO – Gov. Newsom Aug. 4 called on President Trump to use his trip to Los Angeles to deliver on a promise he made 18 months ago. Since February 2025, when President Trump pledged he would “take care” of wildfire survivors, Gov. Newsom has submitted multiple supplemental funding requests to the federal government.
None have been approved, and the federal government continues to delay funding it has already committed to.
In June, the Trump White House requested over $80 billion in supplemental funding from Congress for war costs, an Ebola outbreak response in Central Africa, and farm relief, including storm aid, for Florida. It did not include even a mention of much-needed assistance for Los Angeles wildfire survivors. The president has yet to transmit a disaster recovery funding request to Congress, leaving his promise to survivors unfulfilled.
While Washington, D.C. sits on their hands, California builds
Since the January 2025 Eaton and Palisades fires, California has processed and submitted more than $1.5 billion in FEMA reimbursement claims for emergency response, infrastructure repair, and public facility restoration. FEMA has obligated only $37 million of that amount, approximately 2.5%. In the meantime, the state has advanced its own matching funds so recovery work continues without delay, including debris removal from more than 12,000 properties, emergency housing assistance for thousands of families, and reconstruction of damaged schools and public facilities.
California has also streamlined permitting, deployed strike teams to help survivors navigate insurance claims and FEMA applications, and opened one-stop recovery centers that have served more than 50,000 survivors.
Congress has yet to pass disaster supplemental appropriations for long-term recovery in the communities devastated by the Eaton and Palisades fires, including funding for affordable housing reconstruction and economic recovery programs. This spring, in coordination with local governments, Gov. Newsom transmitted an updated request to Trump administration officials focused on the highest-priority programs and immediate local needs. Still, not a dollar of supplemental funding has arrived.
Gov.Newsom traveled to Washington in May to discuss recovery directly with U.S. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and separately with congressional leaders from both parties. Last month, the Governor warned lenders against practices that improperly delay or deny homeowners’ access to insurance payouts they’re owed, as survivors continue to face difficulty accessing coverage more than 18 months after the fires.
The Governor is also standing up for the Altadena, Palisades, and Malibu communities by advocating for long-term federal disaster funding for survivors of last year’s catastrophic Los Angeles wildfires.
Gov. Newsom has made multiple requests since February 2025, when President Trump promised he would “take care” of survivors. However, the federal government has yet to approve these funding requests and continues to delay delivering FEMA funding that was already approved.
The federal government plays a critical role as a partner to the state in this long-term recovery effort. Funding in this supplemental appropriation would:
- Fund the rebuilding of schools, childcare centers, homes, and vital community facilities.
- Keep small businesses open, support the economy, and maintain jobs.
- Restore damaged water systems, underground and harden critical infrastructure, and improve sidewalks, streets, and traffic safety.
Gov. Newsom Announces Appointment
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom July 20 announced the following appointment:
Norma Cumpian, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the Board of State and Community Corrections, where she has been serving since 2020. Cumpian has been the chief of staff for the Anti-Recidivism Coalition since 2026, where she was the director of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition from 2016 to 2026. She was a volunteer coordinator at the Center for Restorative Justice Works from 2010 to 2015. Cumpian is a member of the Council on Criminal Justice women’s advisory board. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Cumpian is a Democrat.