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Congress·In Committee·11 months ago

Bipartisan Bill Proposes Making FEMA an Independent Cabinet-Level Agency to Improve Disaster Response

Also known as: FEMA Independence Act of 2025

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

State Impacts

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Key Points

  • This bill would remove the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from the Department of Homeland Security and establish it as its own independent, cabinet-level agency.
  • The new agency would be led by a Director who is appointed by the President and reports directly to the White House, rather than answering to the Secretary of Homeland Security.
  • The Director would be required to have at least 10 years of executive leadership experience, split evenly between the public and private sectors, to ensure they are qualified to manage major disasters.
  • FEMA's core mission would remain the same: helping the country prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and other major emergencies.
  • If passed, the transition would take place over one year, during which time all current FEMA employees, property, and funding would be moved to the new independent agency.
  • Supporters believe this change will reduce red tape and allow FEMA to act more quickly during crises, while the move would reverse a major government reorganization that took place after the 9/11 attacks.
National Security Foreign Policy

Milestones

4 milestones4 actions
Mar 24, 2025House

Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

Mar 24, 2025House

Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology.

Mar 24, 2025House

Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Mar 24, 2025

Introduced in House

Related News

4 articles
Axios·11 months ago

Lawmakers eye FEMA reform amid Noem threats

House lawmakers have revamped a bipartisan push to make FEMA a Cabinet agency even as the Trump administration talks about eliminating it entirely. The FEMA Independence Act would mark a major change to how the agency operates, showing a clash between Capitol Hill and the White House.

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Washington Post·11 months ago

Trump officials working to strip FEMA’s role in disaster recovery by Oct. 1

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and other officials expressed support for diminishing FEMA's role. In response, Reps. Moskowitz and Donalds introduced a bill to establish FEMA as an independent, Cabinet-level agency to free it from sprawling bureaucracy and help it move with more agility.

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Truthout·25 days ago

Noem Faces More Calls to Resign After Gutting FEMA, Abandoning Disaster Victims

Following a series of winter storms, critics and whistleblowers are calling for FEMA to become independent again. The article notes that the Trump administration has hampered the agency through budget cuts and staff reductions, highlighting the urgency of the FEMA Independence Act.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

FEMA Independence Act of 2025

Bill NumberHR 2308
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(2)
D: 1R: 1

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.