What changes could come to FEMA under Mullin?

What changes could come to FEMA?

The Trump administration’s next self-imposed deadline for reforms to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is this week — and uncertainty looms about potential changes as Markwayne Mullin takes the reins at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

© Greg Nash, The Hill

President Trump last year signed an executive order setting up a FEMA “Review Council,” led by former DHS head Kristi Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

In December, the council was slated to publicly announce its plans to reform the agency, but the meeting was abruptly canceled.

December documents recently reviewed by The Hill indicate that, at that time, the council’s reforms would have included cutting agency staff in half, making it harder for states and localities to qualify for disaster aid and pushing to privatize flood insurance.

Trump in January signed an executive order extending the council’s work to this Wednesday. So far, no further changes or plans for changes have been announced.

A draft final FEMA council report dated December 11 — the day the public meeting was supposed to take place — and reviewed by The Hill indicates that the council planned significant staff cuts as part of the changes.

It said that the agency should “reduce overall staffing by approximately 50%.”

Specifically, it said that most of these cuts could come from FEMA’s “disaster workforce, which includes temporary, on-call and permanent personnel deployed to disaster areas.”

“The aim is to create a more strategic, less personnel-intensive response, reserving federal intervention for the largest and most complex events,” the report stated.

It also called for a “review” related to Senior Executive Service staffers, a group of highly experienced upper-level officials, in order to “realign or reduce them.”

While calling for staff cuts, the report also lamented that “operational challenges such … staffing shortages have hindered FEMA’s effectiveness.”

The council report also calls for adjusting FEMA’s metrics for inflation in such a way that fewer extreme events would be expected to qualify an area for disaster aid.

“If the per capita indicator had been adjusted for inflation … 29% of disasters declared between 2012 and 2025 would not have met the indicator,” it said.

It estimated that the proposed adjustments would have prevented an average of 16 disaster declarations each year and saved $113 million annually.

The report also calls for pushing the National Flood Insurance Program, which insures homes and businesses against flood damage, including in high-risk areas, toward the private market. It calls for “incentivizing the launch of a ‘take-out program’ to transfer policies to the private market.”

It also calls for reducing the federal government’s share of the cost of certain programs, such as cutting its share of temporary housing assistance costs from 100 percent to 75 percent. It also seeks to possibly reduce the federal cost share of public assistance from not less than 75 percent down to between 50 percent and 75 percent. 

Some of these anticipated proposals were previously reported by CNN.

Read more at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, I’m Rachel Frazin — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

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How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:

Oklahoma governor makes pick to replace Mullin in Senate 

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) has appointed energy executive Alan Armstrong to represent the state in the Senate, replacing outgoing Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R), who was confirmed Monday to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  

Trump says Iran gave the US ‘a very big present’ related to oil and gas

President Trump said Tuesday that Tehran gave the U.S. a “present” related to oil and gas as the countries look toward a potential ceasefire, though he did not specify exactly what the gift was.

Explosion rocks Texas oil refinery

A fire at Valero’s largest oil refinery in Texas was put out on Tuesday after an explosion prompted a shelter-in-place order for residents in the area.

News we’ve flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:

Virginia Beach offshore wind farm has started producing electricity (WHRO)

Virginia Beach offshore wind farm has started producing electricity (WHRO)

The Balance That Keeps Climate Stable Is Out of Whack, U.N. Report Finds (The New York Times)

Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:

The House Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing on the ongoing DHS shutdown. FEMA official Gregg Phillips is slated to testify

The House Appropriations Committee will hold an oversight hearing on the National Weather Service. Assistant Secretary of Commerce Taylor Jordan is slated to testify.

The House Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on mineral supply chains.

What Others are Reading 

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

Senate Democrats reject GOP offer to reopen DHS, partially fund ICE

Senate Democrats on Tuesday rejected a new proposal from Senate Republicans endorsed by President Trump to fund almost all of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) while setting aside some funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to end the partial government shutdown that has now stretched to 39 days. Read more

Judge refuses to drop lawsuit over Musk role as Trump adviser

A federal judge on Monday determined a lawsuit against Elon Musk for his former advisory role in the Trump administration’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) can move forward.  Read more

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