FEMA Reform Bill

By Thérèse Boudreaux, The Center Square

Long plagued by inefficiency and politicization, the Federal Emergency Management System could soon see major reforms if Congress passes bipartisan legislation that has been introduced.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves, R-Mo., and Ranking Member Rick Larsen, D-Wash., released draft legislation that would bring transparency, efficiency, and accountability to the taxpayer-funded agency.

The 177-page FEMA Act of 2025 is still in draft form to allow feedback from lawmakers. Graves said the plan “provides the most significant and meaningful FEMA reforms since Hurricane Katrina.”

“We have clearly seen that FEMA is not working as it should for Americans who’ve been impacted by disasters,” Graves said. “This draft bill includes substantive changes that will transform FEMA and our emergency programs to be much more state and locally driven – not micromanaged into ineffectiveness by the federal government.”

One of the most important changes the plan proposes is to return FEMA to a Cabinet-level agency, streamlining government-wide responses to disasters and making the Administrator reportable — and thus accountable — to the President.

At the non-federal level, the legislation authorizes project-based grants to help states speed up rebuilding efforts, prioritize highest-need projects, and not have to shoulder as many costs. It would also enact permitting reforms to speed up rebuilding projects, and allow states to secure pre-approval for disaster mitigation projects.

FEMA would also be required to provide a single, simplified assistance application for disaster survivors and clarify its agency notices.

During the Biden administration, FEMA drew criticism for shifting its focus — and taxpayer-funded budget — away from actual disaster relief to migrant services, climate initiatives, and diversity and equity goals.

Among other actions, FEMA sent $1.4 billion taxpayer dollars to cities nationwide to pay for migrant services. As a result, FEMA ran out of funds for hurricane relief programs in 2024, delaying crucial aid to some states impacted by Hurricane Helene. 

The agency also came under fire for allegedly directing its workers to avoid directly helping Trump supporters in the aftermath of Helene, as The Center Square reported.

In light of that incident, the legislation strictly prohibits political discrimination in disaster recovery efforts. For added transparency, it requires the Office of Management and Budget to create federal disaster-assistance tracking website.

“Republican[s] and Democrats on this Committee agree that it is an important agency in need of reform,” Larsen said. “That’s why I’m proud to partner with my counterpart, Sam Graves, to release draft legislation giving FEMA the tools it needs to simplify its programs and provide quicker relief to disaster-impacted communities.”