By Zoey
A federal council created to reshape the future of the nation’s disaster response system has unveiled a sweeping set of recommendations that could dramatically change how the United States prepares for and recovers from natural disasters, shifting far more responsibility onto states while reducing the federal government’s direct role in emergency assistance.
The reform proposals, approved Thursday by a council appointed by President Donald Trump, stop short of completely dismantling the Federal Emergency Management Agency, commonly known as FEMA, but they represent one of the most aggressive efforts in decades to restructure the country’s disaster relief framework.
The recommendations could significantly reduce the number of disasters eligible for federal assistance, alter how aid money is distributed, limit certain forms of support available to survivors and encourage states, tribes and territories to take primary responsibility for long-term disaster recovery.
Supporters of the overhaul argue the current FEMA system is too slow, bureaucratic and financially unsustainable, while critics warn the proposed changes could overwhelm local governments and leave vulnerable communities with less support after catastrophic events.
Former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who serves on the council, defended the recommendations during a public meeting that drew nearly 6,000 online attendees.
“These recommendations are all about accelerating federal dollars, streamlining the process and making it less bureaucratic so Americans can get the help they need on the worst day of their lives,” Youngkin said.
The report now heads to the White House for review, though many of its most significant provisions would require congressional approval before they could be implemented.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said Trump remains committed to ensuring assistance reaches communities affected by disasters while encouraging states to strengthen their own preparedness and resilience efforts before emergencies occur.
The proposals reflect Trump’s long-standing view that states should shoulder more responsibility for disaster response rather than relying heavily on federal intervention. Since returning to office, Trump has repeatedly criticized FEMA’s operations and questioned the size and scope of the agency’s role in disaster recovery.
The 12-member reform council is co-chaired by Markwayne Mullin and Pete Hegseth. The group includes current and former emergency management officials, many from Republican-led states.
Mullin described the report as providing “a clear direction” for an agency that he said remains capable of fulfilling its mission but urgently needs reform.
One of the most consequential recommendations would overhaul the formula used to determine whether states qualify for federal disaster declarations and funding.
Currently, FEMA relies heavily on a per-capita damage calculation that compares disaster costs against a state’s population size. The council instead proposed creating a pre-defined system of metrics and thresholds that would automatically determine whether a disaster qualifies for federal support.
Supporters say the change would create more predictability and reduce political influence in disaster declarations. Critics, however, fear the new standards could exclude smaller disasters that still devastate local communities.
Another major proposal would fundamentally alter how federal disaster money reaches states and territories.
Rather than reimbursing governments after recovery work is completed — the current system used by FEMA — the council recommended direct payments within 30 days of a disaster declaration, with the possibility of additional payments later depending on recovery needs.
Advocates of the idea argue it could dramatically speed up relief operations by giving local governments immediate access to funding instead of forcing them to wait months or years for reimbursement.
The recommendations also seek to reshape how disaster survivors receive aid.
Under the proposed changes, FEMA housing assistance would largely be limited to residents whose homes are officially deemed uninhabitable. Instead of offering multiple assistance programs for repairs, rentals and replacement housing, survivors could receive a single lump-sum payment.
The council also proposed reducing FEMA’s involvement in long-term housing recovery and giving states greater authority to operate their own housing assistance programs as long as they comply with federal standards.
Kevin Guthrie, a council member and one of the country’s most prominent emergency management officials, said states should have the flexibility to tailor disaster responses to their own needs.
“States, figure it out,” Guthrie said during the meeting. “Do what’s best for you.”
The report additionally recommends significant changes to flood insurance policy management.
The council proposed shifting much of the burden currently carried by the National Flood Insurance Program into the private insurance market. The federal flood insurance system currently carries more than $20 billion in debt, and officials have argued that private-sector participation could help reduce taxpayer exposure while aligning premiums more closely with actual flood risk.
The recommendations arrive after months of delays and internal disagreements.
Emergency managers, nonprofit organizations and local governments had been waiting for the report for roughly six months after earlier drafts reportedly triggered disputes within the administration. Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and members of the council reportedly clashed over previous versions of the plan.
One of the most controversial ideas included in earlier drafts — cutting FEMA’s workforce by 50% — does not appear in the final recommendations, easing some concerns among agency employees and disaster response advocates.
Still, many disaster experts remain deeply worried about the broader direction of the reforms.
Organizations involved in housing recovery and emergency management warned that reducing federal involvement could leave state and local governments struggling to manage increasingly frequent and expensive disasters fueled by extreme weather, hurricanes, floods and wildfires.
The National Emergency Management Association said it generally supported the council’s goals of reducing complexity, speeding up assistance and lowering costs. However, other experts argued the reforms could create dangerous gaps in support systems.
Noah Patton warned that limiting assistance primarily to residents whose homes are completely uninhabitable could significantly increase displacement and economic hardship for lower-income survivors.
He argued many disaster victims already struggle to recover even under the current system and said scaling back federal support could leave vulnerable communities with fewer resources during crises.
Most of the council’s major proposals would require Congress to pass new legislation, and it remains unclear whether lawmakers will move quickly on such sweeping reforms.
A FEMA reform bill previously advanced through a House committee last year but stalled before reaching a full vote. Political analysts say passing major disaster relief legislation could become even more difficult as Congress moves closer to midterm election campaigns.
Patton stressed that the council’s report represents recommendations rather than finalized policy and noted that lawmakers still have significant power to reshape or reject the proposals.
“It is important to remember that these are suggestions,” he said. “They aren’t set in stone.”
The debate over FEMA’s future is expected to intensify in the months ahead as lawmakers, governors and emergency management officials confront growing concerns about the nation’s ability to respond to increasingly costly disasters while balancing federal spending pressures and political demands for government reform.
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