Washington, D.C. — A new episode of the CitiesSpeak podcast from the National League of Cities (NLC) features Yucel Ors, Legislative Director for Public Safety and Crime Prevention for NLC, in conversation with NLC Senior Executive Irma Esparza Diggs about the recent Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown and its impact on local governments across the country. The episode explores how the 76-day shutdown disrupted disaster preparedness, delayed federal reimbursements and created uncertainty for cities, towns and villages that rely on DHS partnerships and funding.
During the episode, Ors discusses the importance of the federal-local partnership with DHS and FEMA, particularly as communities prepare for hurricane season and ongoing disaster recovery needs. The conversation highlights the growing challenges local governments face when federal funding becomes uncertain, as well as the importance of congressional action to maintain continuity for essential public safety and emergency management programs.
Highlights from the Conversation
On the role of DHS in supporting local governments:
“Department of Homeland Security is one of the most essential federal agencies out there… FEMA also, in addition, has a lot of training programs for law enforcement, for firefighters, for disaster recovery operations.” —Yucel Ors
On the impact of delayed federal funding on communities:
“Those types of delays are gonna cost local governments… some of these programs, stop some of the mitigation efforts if it becomes too costly.” —Yucel Ors
On the growing normalization of federal shutdowns:
“Shutdowns has almost become a normal aspect of the appropriations process in the federal government… local governments don’t shut down, and neither should the federal government.” —Yucel Ors
The CitiesSpeak podcast features conversations with leaders and policy experts on the biggest issues facing America’s cities, towns and villages.
Listen to the full conversation, also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.
About CitiesSpeak
Each episode of NLC’s podcast, CitiesSpeak with Clarence Anthony, dives into a critical issue facing local leaders today, featuring conversations with elected leaders and policy experts from across the country. The podcast is a relaxed and entertaining resource for local policymakers looking for ideas and information to bring back to their communities. The podcast is hosted by NLC CEO and Executive Director Clarence Anthony, who previously served as mayor of South Bay, Florida, for more than two decades.
New, episodes of CitiesSpeak are available on all major podcasting platforms and on YouTube. If you have feedback for the show or ideas for future guests, email us at citiesspeakpodcast@nlc.org. Happy listening!
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