Experts said the remaining balance should be enough to limit impacts on the winter storm response, at least in the short term. Trump administration officials have cited the storm and FEMA’s response to it as a reason to avoid a shutdown. States still assessing winter storm impactsThe Disaster Relief Fund pays for FEMA’s disaster response and recovery efforts and the staff who work on them. “The winter storm at this time is well within the capability of local communities and states,” said Michael Coen, former FEMA chief of staff in the Obama and Biden administrations. The spending bill now before the Senate would give the Disaster Relief Fund over $26 billion, as well as nearly $4 billion for various FEMA emergency preparedness and security grants.