The federal response to the deadly flooding in Texas was hampered by a Department of Homeland Security policy implemented by Secretary , CNN reported on Wednesday night.

Late last week, floodwaters from the Guadalupe River overwhelmed towns in parts of central Texas, where nearly 120 people have died in the flooding. CNN reported on Wednesday that officials at the Federal Emergency Management Agency sprang into action, but soon found their response hobbled by a new policy at DHS, which oversees FEMA. Per the new rule, the department’s secretary must personally sign off on all contracts or grants of more than $100,000.

CNN originally reported that Noem sought greater hands-on control over DHS than previous secretaries, including the approval of individual contracts and grants. In its report on June 18 – less than three weeks before the flooding in central Texas – CNN quoted one FEMA official who warned Noem’s tightening grip would hurt the agency’s ability to respond to disasters quickly.

“This will hurt nonprofits, states, and small towns. Massive delays feel inevitable,” the official told CNN on condition of anonymity. One former senior FEMA official called the policy “bonkers.”

In its report on Wednesday, CNN explained the obstacles Noem’s new policy created:

In the past, FEMA would have swiftly staged these teams, which are specifically trained for situations including catastrophic floods, closer to a disaster zone in anticipation of urgent requests, multiple agency sources told CNN.

But even as Texas rescue crews raced to save lives, FEMA officials realized they needed Noem’s approval before sending those additional assets. Noem didn’t authorize FEMA’s deployment of Urban Search and Rescue teams until Monday, more than 72 hours after the flooding began, multiple sources told CNN.

Additionally, Texas officials requested aerial imagery from FEMA to assist with search and rescue operations, “but that was delayed as it awaited Noem’s approval for the necessary contract.”

A DHS spokesperson told CNN that FEMA is currently in a transitional period.

“FEMA is shifting from bloated, DC-centric dead weight to a lean, deployable disaster force that empowers state actors to provide relief for their citizens,” said. “The old processes are being replaced because they failed Americans in real emergencies for decades.”

President has made no secret of the fact that he isn’t a fan of FEMA. In February, he suggested that the agency “SHOULD BE TERMINATED!”