Lawmakers push to elevate FEMA to cabinet-level status amid agency overhaul debate

Bipartisan members of Congress introduced legislation that would make the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) report directly to the president, shifting it out of the Department of Homeland Security.

Rachel Frazin reports for The Hill.

In short:

• The bill, introduced by four House members from both parties, would elevate FEMA to a Cabinet-level agency while allowing states more flexibility in handling smaller disasters.
• The legislation proposes lump-sum disaster payments to states and a single streamlined assistance application to reduce bureaucracy.
• The proposal comes as the Trump administration considers major changes to FEMA, including potential elimination of the agency.

Key quote:

“The solution is not to tear FEMA down — it’s to work across the aisle to build FEMA up.”

— Rep. Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.)

Why this matters:

FEMA plays a central role in responding to hurricanes, wildfires, floods and other disasters that are increasing in frequency and cost as the climate warms. Its structure determines how quickly aid reaches communities and how well federal and state governments coordinate in crises. Elevating the agency could give it more direct access to the president but may also raise questions about funding priorities and oversight, especially as Washington debates whether to shrink or reshape federal disaster programs. The outcome could affect not just emergency response but also how resilient communities are to future storms and heat waves, which have become more disruptive and deadly in recent years.

Related: Trump move to dismantle FEMA prompts resignation of disaster response chief