NLIHC and Chesapeake Climate Action Network Host Briefing on “FEMA Act” for Congressional Offices

By Noah Patton, NLIHC Director of Disaster Recovery

On July 21, NLIHC and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network hosted a congressional briefing to support the “Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act.” More than 60 Congressional staffers and advocates attended to hear remarks and a panel discussion on the bipartisan bill, which aims to reform the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) by restoring its independence and improving access to disaster assistance and mitigation funding. Sponsored by Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO), Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA), Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL), and Rep. Dean Stanton (D-AZ), the bill passed the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee earlier this year and was recently discussed in a committee hearing. 

The hearing included remarks from Democratic Transportation and Infrastructure Committee staff, NLIHC, and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, followed by a panel of national advocacy organizations supporting the bill. Panelists represented the League of United Latin American Citizens, the Coalition on Human Needs, the Southern Environmental Law Center, and the Hispanic Federation. They discussed the need to remove FEMA from the Department of Homeland Security, improve FEMA’s application system, and restructure disaster mitigation funding. 

The FEMA Act was drafted via an extensive, bipartisan outreach process with stakeholders and disaster survivors, including members of NLIHC’s Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition. The FEMA Act was developed through a bipartisan outreach process involving stakeholders and disaster survivors, including members of NLIHC’s Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition. The bill has 90 cosponsors: 52 Republicans and 41 Democrats. Supporters are now seeking a vote by the full House of Representatives.