T&I Approves Bipartisan Invoice to Dramatically Reform FEMA

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee at this time authorized laws to supply probably the most strong legislative reform of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and federal catastrophe help applications in many years. 

The Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act of 2025 (H.R. 4669) streamlines the federal authorities’s catastrophe response and restoration applications whereas additionally making FEMA a cabinet-level company as soon as once more that’s instantly accountable to the President.  The invoice rewards efficient state and native preparedness, protects taxpayers, cuts pink tape, and ensures that aid efforts are quick, honest, and free from political bias.

The FEMA Act was launched by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO); Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA); former Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee lead Republican Daniel Webster (R-FL); and Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee Ranking Member Greg Stanton (D-AZ).

“The FEMA Act is designed to address one simple fact that we all recognize, especially Americans who have been impacted by disasters: FEMA is not working the way it should for our communities,” stated Chairman Graves.  “This bill makes FEMA directly accountable to the President, replaces the slow and bureaucratic rebuilding process, makes critical reforms to speed up federal processes, makes disaster assistance work better for survivors, demands greater transparency from FEMA, and more.”

“As natural disasters become more frequent and severe, the FEMA Act of 2025 strengthens the Agency and ensures it has the tools to efficiently and effectively serve as a lifeline to disaster-impacted communities—like those in my district hit by the 2024 Bomb Cyclone,” stated Ranking Member Larsen (D-WA). “Thank you to Chairman Graves for partnering on this important bill to reform FEMA. I hope this legislation moves quickly to the House floor for a vote.”

An in depth abstract of the FEMA Act might be discovered right here.

The FEMA Act additionally has the help of quite a few emergency administration stakeholders.

The Committee additionally authorized laws to reauthorize, reform, and fairly broaden the prevailing counter-unmanned plane system (counter-UAS) authorities of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). In addition, the Committee authorized its views and estimates on the fiscal yr 2026 funds for applications underneath its jurisdiction.

More data from at this time’s markup, together with invoice textual content and amendments authorized, might be discovered right here.