"Fixing Emergency Management: Examining Improvements to FEMA's Disaster Response"

House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management

2025-07-23

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Summary

The meeting of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management convened to discuss improving the federal emergency management system and FEMA's disaster response, especially in light of the recent flash floods in Texas that caused significant loss of life [ 00:27:28 ]

. The subcommittee heard testimony from Mr. David Richardson, the senior official performing the duties of the FEMA administrator [ 00:42:17 ] . Members expressed concerns about FEMA's effectiveness, bureaucratic hurdles, and the administration's overall strategy for disaster management [ 00:28:57 ] .

Themes

FEMA's Response to the Texas Floods

The recent flash floods in Texas, which resulted in 135 deaths including 37 children, were a central point of discussion . Ranking Member Stanton heavily criticized the acting FEMA administrator, David Richardson, for being "missing in action" during the initial critical 48 hours and for not making a statement for 10 days . Stanton alleged that FEMA failed to proactively position urban search and rescue teams, leading to delays that may have cost lives . He also pointed to the expiration of a FEMA call center contract, leaving a vast majority of calls from survivors unanswered . Mr. Richardson countered that a FEMA-funded and trained urban search and rescue team was already in Texas on July 4th, and federal support arrived within 24 hours of the state's request [ 00:49:40-00:50:08 ]

. He stated that all calls to the call center were answered within 3 to 10 minutes, dismissing reports of unresponsiveness as "fake news" . Richardson maintained that the Texas response, characterized by community-led, state-managed, and federally supported efforts, was an "outstanding response" and a "model" for disaster management [ 01:34:52-01:35:01 ] .

FEMA Reform and Statutory Mission

Members discussed the ongoing need for FEMA reform, with Chairman Perry questioning the increasing role of the federal government but emphasizing the need for fast, agile, and targeted assistance when provided [ 00:28:21 ]

. Mr. Richardson outlined FEMA's operational priorities under the current administration: focusing on survivor-centric response, returning "primacy to the states," and strengthening state, local, tribal, and territorial capabilities [ 00:43:45-00:43:55 ] . This approach aims to streamline processes and reduce delays [ 00:43:47 ] . However, Representative Larson expressed strong concerns about the administration's actions to "disrupt and dismantle FEMA" , citing elimination of climate change activities, firing workers, and halting mitigation programs [ 00:32:54-00:34:00 ] . Larson highlighted the "FEMA Act" legislation, a bipartisan effort to restore FEMA as an independent, cabinet-level agency and improve its programs for public assistance, individual assistance, and mitigation . The FEMA Review Council, led by Secretary Noem and Secretary Hegseth, is also working to "reimagine, not just reform," the agency .

Bureaucracy, Funding, and Reimbursement Delays

A recurring theme was the frustration with FEMA's bureaucratic processes, which often lead to slow assistance and delays in recovery [ 00:28:25 ]

. Several members raised concerns about the $100,000 contract sign-off policy imposed by Secretary Noem, arguing it caused bottlenecks and delays . Mr. Richardson dismissed these concerns, stating he never saw the policy cause "undue delay" . Members also highlighted the slow pace of closing out old disaster projects, with some still open since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 [ 00:28:15 ] . Richardson acknowledged the need to reduce the number of open declarations and streamline internal processes . The delay in releasing FY25 preparedness grants, which were 68 days overdue, was also brought up, with Mr. Richardson confirming that notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs) are now being released [ 00:58:01-00:58:04 ] . The cancellation of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program was criticized by multiple members who stressed the importance of pre-disaster mitigation [ 00:33:52 ] . Richardson defended the cancellation, stating the program had been misused for projects like "bike paths and bus stops," and noted it is currently under litigation .

Tone of the Meeting

The meeting maintained a serious and often somber tone, especially during discussions about the loss of life in the Texas floods [ 00:30:42 ]

. There was a palpable sense of frustration and criticism directed at FEMA's perceived failures and the administration's approach to emergency management [ 00:28:57 ] . Questioning of Mr. Richardson was at times confrontational, particularly regarding his personal involvement in the Texas response and the call center issues . Despite the criticism, members also expressed a desire for bipartisan cooperation to improve disaster readiness and response . Mr. Richardson, while acknowledging the tragedies, maintained a steadfast and confident defense of FEMA's actions and the administration's policies, frequently citing the "outstanding leadership" of President Trump and Secretary Noem [ 00:52:27 ] .