The FEMA Review Council, a 12-member panel appointed by President Donald Trump, voted Thursday to approve a long-awaited report that recommends fundamental changes to how the federal government prepares for and responds to disasters. The proposals would give states, tribes, and territories far greater control over recovery—and reduce Washington’s financial exposure—by overhauling the criteria for disaster declarations, changing how states are paid, and narrowing the aid that survivors can receive.
Former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a council member, said the recommendations are “all about accelerating federal dollars, streamlining the process, making it less bureaucratic so that Americans can get the help they need on the worst day of their lives.” Nearly 6,000 people attended the virtual public meeting at which the report was approved.
At the center of the proposal is a shift away from the long-standing per-capita formula that weighs disaster costs against a state’s population when deciding whether to issue a federal disaster declaration. The council recommended replacing that approach with a set of predefined metrics, though the report did not specify what those metrics would be. States would also receive direct payments within 30 days of a disaster, with the possibility of a second payment later, rather than having to wait for federal reimbursement after completing recovery work.
The changes to survivor aid would be substantial. FEMA would focus its assistance on emergency housing and move away from long-term housing aid. Survivors would receive a one-time payment instead of navigating separate programs for rental assistance, home repair, and replacement. The council also proposed giving states the option to run their own housing programs as long as they follow federal standards. Florida emergency management director and council member Kevin Guthrie framed the approach bluntly: “States, figure it out. Do what’s best for you.”
The report calls for shifting a large portion of flood insurance policies out of the National Flood Insurance Program, which is more than $20 billion in debt, and onto the private market. Premiums would continue to be aligned more closely with the actual risk of flooding.
A proposal in an earlier draft to cut FEMA’s workforce by 50% was absent from the final report. The draft, which the Associated Press reviewed in December, had drawn sharp criticism. The council’s work was delayed for roughly six months after former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and council members clashed over earlier versions.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who co-chairs the council with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, said the report offered “a clear direction and an oversight of an agency that is in need of reform, but is still mission capable.” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said Trump “looks forward to reviewing the recommendations” and “remains committed to getting resources to communities in need while also working with states to ensure they invest in their own resilience before disaster strikes.”
Some emergency management organizations offered cautious support. A spokesperson for the National Emergency Management Association said the group “broadly supports the overarching principles outlined by the council of less complexity in federal programs, faster assistance, and cost savings at all levels.”
Disaster experts and advocates for low-income survivors were more critical. Noah Patton, director of disaster recovery at the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, said limiting housing assistance to those whose homes are rendered uninhabitable “would dramatically increase the level of displacement and economic insecurity” for poor survivors. He also expressed doubt that Congress would pass FEMA reform before the midterm elections, noting that a bill that cleared a House committee last year has stalled. “It is important to remember that these are suggestions — they aren’t set in stone,” Patton said.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to dismantle FEMA and has argued that states should bear more of the burden for disaster preparedness and response. The council’s 12 members are current and former officials and emergency managers predominantly from Republican-led states. Even if the administration endorses the recommendations, most of the largest changes would require legislation, leaving their future uncertain.