Congress Proposes Bipartisan FEMA Restructuring Bill

A bipartisan group of U.S. House members is drafting a comprehensive bill to overhaul the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), aiming to expand its services and counter President Donald Trump's threats to shrink or abolish the agency. The proposed legislation would allow FEMA to fund major home repairs after disasters, not just temporary fixes, and enable the agency to penalize states that fail to mitigate disasters. Additionally, the bill seeks to remove FEMA from the Department of Homeland Security, making it an independent agency reporting directly to the president. Concurrently, House lawmakers debated FEMA's budget and its role in disaster assistance, highlighting concerns about the Trump administration's budget proposal, which suggested cuts to various non-disaster grant programs. Lawmakers emphasized the need for better communication from FEMA regarding budget requests and criticized the halting of funding for key programs like Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC), citing inefficiencies and concerns over potential waste of taxpayer funds. These discussions reflect ongoing tensions between Congress and the administration over FEMA's future and operational priorities.