[House Hearing, 118 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                  THE FUTURE OF FEMA: AGENCY PERSPECTIVES
                        WITH ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL

=======================================================================

                                HEARING

                               before the

                            SUBCOMMITTEE ON
                  EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY

                                 of the

                     COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                    ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS

                             FIRST SESSION

                               __________

                             JULY 13, 2023

                               __________

                           Serial No. 118-22

                               __________

       Printed for the use of the Committee on Homeland Security
                                     



                [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


                                     

       Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov/

                               __________


                 U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

54-300 PDF                WASHINGTON : 2023










                     COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY

                 Mark E. Green, MD, Tennessee, Chairman

Michael T. McCaul, Texas             Bennie G. Thompson, Mississippi, 
Clay Higgins, Louisiana                  Ranking Member
Michael Guest, Mississippi           Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas
Dan Bishop, North Carolina           Donald M. Payne, Jr., New Jersey
Carlos A. Gimenez, Florida           Eric Swalwell, California
August Pfluger, Texas                J. Luis Correa, California
Andrew R. Garbarino, New York        Troy A. Carter, Louisiana
Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia      Shri Thanedar, Michigan
Tony Gonzales, Texas                 Seth Magaziner, Rhode Island
Nick LaLota, New York                Glenn Ivey, Maryland
Mike Ezell, Mississippi              Daniel S. Goldman, New York
Anthony D'Esposito, New York         Robert Garcia, California
Laurel M. Lee, Florida               Delia C. Ramirez, Illinois
Morgan Luttrell, Texas               Robert Menendez, New Jersey
Dale W. Strong, Alabama              Yvette D. Clarke, New York
Josh Brecheen, Oklahoma              Dina Titus, Nevada
Elijah Crane, Arizona

                      Stephen Siao, Staff Director
                  Hope Goins, Minority Staff Director
                       Natalie Nixon, Chief Clerk

                                 ------                                

          SUBCOMMITTEE ON EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY

                 Anthony D'Esposito, New York, Chairman

Nick LaLota, New York                Troy A. Carter, Louisiana, Ranking 
Dale W. Strong, Alabama                  Member
Josh Brecheen, Oklahoma              Donald M. Payne, Jr., New Jersey
Mark E. Green, MD, Tennessee         Daniel S. Goldman, New York
   (ex officio)                      Bennie G. Thompson, Mississippi 
                                         (ex officio)

               Diana Bergwin, Subcommittee Staff Director
          Lauren McClain, Minority Subcommittee Staff Director









                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page

                               Statements

The Honorable Anthony D'Esposito, a Representative in Congress 
  From the State of New York, and Chairman, Subcommittee on 
  Emergency Management and Technology:
  Oral Statement.................................................     1
  Prepared Statement.............................................     3
The Honorable Troy A. Carter, a Representative in Congress From 
  the State of Louisiana, and Ranking Member, Subcommittee on 
  Emergency Management and Technology:
  Oral Statement.................................................     4
  Prepared Statement.............................................     6
The Honorable Bennie G. Thompson, a Representative in Congress 
  From the State of Mississippi, and Ranking Member, Committee on 
  Homeland Security:
  Prepared Statement.............................................     7

                                Witness

Ms. Deanne Criswell, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management 
  Agency:
  Oral Statement.................................................     9
  Prepared Statement.............................................    11

                             For the Record

The Honorable Troy A. Carter, a Representative in Congress From 
  the State of Louisiana, and Ranking Member, Subcommittee on 
  Emergency Management and Technology:
  GAO, National Security Snapshot................................    31
  Letter.........................................................    37

 
                THE FUTURE OF FEMA: AGENCY PERSPECTIVES
                      WITH ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL

                              ----------                              


                        Thursday, July 13, 2023

             U.S. House of Representatives,
                    Committee on Homeland Security,
                      Subcommittee on Emergency Management 
                                            and Technology,
                                                    Washington, DC.

    The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:05 a.m., in 
room 310, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. Anthony D'Esposito 
(Chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.
    Present: Representatives D'Esposito, LaLota, Strong, 
Brecheen, Green (ex officio), Carter, and Goldman.
    Also present: Representatives Lawler, Moylan, and 
Moskowitz.
    Mr. D'Esposito. The Committee on Homeland Security 
Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology will come 
to order. Without objection, the subcommittee may recess at any 
point.
    The purpose of this hearing is to hear from the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency's Administrator Deanne Criswell, 
regarding her vision of FEMA moving forward and to receive an 
overview of the President's fiscal year 2024 budget request for 
FEMA.
    I now recognize myself for an opening statement.
    First, I want to thank you for being here this morning. As 
someone who has spent his entire adult life as an emergency 
manager, as a chief of the fire department and NYPD detective, 
I want to thank you for participating in this hearing and for 
accommodating the schedule change.
    I look forward to hearing your perspective on the future of 
FEMA, and I appreciate this opportunity to review FEMA's work 
throughout the country.
    As we all know, our Nation has faced historic wildfire 
seasons, costly hurricanes, and unprecedented emergencies in 
recent years, which currently includes extensive flooding in 
New York and Vermont.
    When Superstorm Sandy devastated New York, I proudly served 
as chief of the Island Park Fire Department and distinctly 
remember the overwhelming damage and immense recovery efforts. 
With an estimated 100,000 homes damaged or destroyed on Long 
Island alone, I truly appreciate FEMA's partnership and 
assistance in helping my community and many communities from 
sea to shining sea to rebuild and recover.
    I know that thousands of Americans are grateful for FEMA's 
help in their time of need. However, I also know that FEMA has 
had its share of challenges while carrying out its mission to 
help people before, during, and after disasters.
    And as Members of this subcommittee, we are tasked with 
ensuring that taxpayer dollars are used wisely to carry out 
this mission and that these challenges are properly addressed.
    One such challenge is that FEMA has experienced growing 
responsibilities and expanding mission sets amid severe 
staffing shortages and existing response and recovery 
operations.
    Since 2020, FEMA has responded to 247 major disaster 
declarations across the United States of America, all while 
continuing to manage COVID-19-related assistance whose incident 
period just closed on May 11 of this year.
    Further, FEMA has been tasked with alleviating the impact 
of President Biden's failures. From resettling Afghan refugees 
in 2021 to now housing and feeding illegal immigrants, I am 
worried that FEMA is becoming a de facto ``damage control'' 
agency.
    Will these added responsibilities hinder FEMA's ability to 
help disaster survivors in their time of need? That is a 
question that hopefully we will answer today.
    Thanks to Secretary Mayorkas' complacency at the Southern 
Border, humanitarian crises have taken a toll on cities across 
this country--and not just in border cities like El Paso, but 
also in cities like New York and Chicago, where they have asked 
FEMA to help cover the cost of feeding and housing illegal 
immigrants.
    Even New York City Mayor Eric Adams recently said that the 
financial burden is ``decimating''--decimating--``the 
foundation of our city.''
    New York received over $104.6 million in FEMA funding to 
help cover the cost of housing thousands upon thousands of 
migrants in this city because of the dereliction of duty of 
Secretary Mayorkas and President Biden.
    Administrator, I recently sent you a letter outlining 
concerns with the Emergency Food and Shelter Program--
Humanitarian, EFSP-H. As noted in the letter, I requested FEMA 
provide a briefing to this subcommittee to discuss the issues I 
highlighted in the letter. I hope our staffs are able to get 
something on the books soon to accommodate this request.
    Unfortunately, it seems that this migrant crisis has no end 
in sight, and cities will likely continue to ask FEMA for help, 
further adding to the agency's very full plate.
    However, FEMA's focus should be on helping communities with 
building resiliency to natural disasters, improving recovery 
programs, and completing existing reconstruction projects.
    As our communities prepare for the 2023 hurricane season, 
how can FEMA simplify the application process for survivors of 
natural disasters? When will recovery be complete in Puerto 
Rico? Are we better off today than we were at the time of our 
last disaster?
    These are questions that FEMA and this subcommittee should 
be and will be tackling.
    I sent you a letter on May 31 expressing concerns regarding 
continued reconstruction projects in Puerto Rico, the 
vulnerability of communities in Puerto Rico during this current 
hurricane season, and the concerns outlined in the report by 
the DHS Office of the Inspector General that FEMA has not 
safeguarded Federal dollars from fraud by not complying with 
the agency's own internal guidelines.
    I appreciate the response I received this week and welcome 
further conversation on those concerns that I'm sure we both 
have during this hearing.
    As we look ahead, it is important that we address these 
questions to help FEMA stay on course and to prioritize the 
mission that Congress gave FEMA in the Homeland Security Act of 
2002, which is to reduce the loss of life and property and to 
protect this great Nation from all hazards, including natural 
disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters.
    Administrator, I look forward to hearing from you on these 
issues, and once again thank you for your service to this 
country and for being here today. I hope that this hearing 
today will bring clarity on the future of FEMA and how the 
agency will continue to carry on its mission.
    [The statement of Chairman D'Esposito follows:]
              Statement of the Chairman Anthony D'Esposito
                             July 13, 2023
    I first want to begin by thanking Administrator Criswell for 
participating in this hearing. I look forward to hearing your 
perspective on the future of FEMA and I appreciate this opportunity to 
review FEMA's work throughout the country.
    As we all know, our Nation has faced historic wildfire seasons, 
costly hurricanes, and unprecedented emergencies in recent years. When 
Superstorm Sandy devestated New York, I was serving as chief of the 
Island Park Fire Department, and distinctly remember the overwhelming 
damage and immense recovery efforts. With an estimated 100,000 homes 
damaged or destroyed on Long Island alone, I truly appreciate FEMA's 
partnership and assistance in helping my community to rebuild and 
recover.
    I know that thousands of Americans are grateful for FEMA's help in 
their time of need. However, I also know that FEMA has had its fair 
share of challenges while carrying out its mission to help people 
before, during, and after disasters. And as Members of this 
subcommittee, we are tasked with ensuring that taxpayer dollars are 
used wisely to carry out this mission, and that these challenges are 
properly addressed.
    One such challenge is that FEMA has experienced growing 
responsibilities and expanding mission sets amid severe staffing 
shortages and existing response and recovery operations. Since 2020, 
FEMA has responded to 244 Major Disaster Declarations across the United 
States--all while continuing to manage COVID-19-related assistance, 
whose incident period just closed on May 11 of this year.
    Further, FEMA has been tasked with alleviating the impact of 
President Biden's failures. From resettling Afghan refugees in 2021, to 
now housing and feeding illegal immigrants, I am worried that FEMA is 
becoming a defacto `damage control' agency. Will these added 
responsibilities hinder FEMA's ability to help disaster survivors in 
their time of need?
    Thanks to Secretary Mayorkas' complacency at the Southern Border, 
humanitarian crises have taken a toll on cities across the country--and 
not just in border cities like El Paso, but also in cities like New 
York and Chicago, where they have asked FEMA to help cover the costs of 
feeding and housing illegal immigrants.
    Even New York City Mayor, Eric Adams, recently said that the 
financial burden is ``decimating the foundation of our city.'' New York 
received over $104.6 million in FEMA funding to help cover the costs of 
housing thousands upon thousands of migrants in the city.
    Administrator Criswell, I recently sent you a letter outlining 
concerns with the Emergency Food and Shelter Program--Humanitarian 
(EFSP-H). As noted in the letter, I've requested that FEMA provide a 
briefing to this subcommittee to discuss the issues I highlighted in 
the letter. I hope that we will be able to find a time to receive this 
briefing.
    Unfortunately, it seems that this migrant crisis has no end in 
sight, and cities will likely continue to ask FEMA for help, further 
adding to the agency's very full plate.
    However, FEMA's focus should be on helping communities with 
building resiliency to natural disasters, improving recovery programs, 
and completing existing reconstruction projects. Are communities 
prepared for the 2023 hurricane season? How can FEMA simplify the 
application process for survivors of natural disasters? When will 
recovery be complete in Puerto Rico? These are the questions that FEMA 
should be tackling.
    For instance, Administrator Criswell, I would like to know FEMA's 
time line for completing reconstruction projects in Puerto Rico and the 
vulnerabilities that remain due to lengthy delays for these projects. I 
appreciated the response I received from Associate Administrator Anne 
Binke from the Office of Response and Recovery; and I was grateful to 
read her updates on the island's remaining vulnerabilities, such as 
Puerto Rico's emergency management staff shortages and power grid 
instability. However, I hope to hear more about FEMA's plan to 
safeguard Federal funds and to ensure that recovery projects are 
completed effeciently--especially since much of the funding has already 
been obligated and 95 percent of the projects presented by the 
government of Puerto Rico have already revieved funding. My hope is 
that FEMA will coordinate with the government of Puerto Rico to see 
that these projects are completed.
    As we look ahead, it is important that we address these questions 
to help FEMA stay on course and prioritize the mission that Congress 
gave FEMA in the Homeland Security Act of 2002--which is to reduce the 
loss of life and property and to protect the Nation from all hazards, 
including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made 
disasters. Administrator Criswell--I look forward to hearing from you 
on these issues. I hope that this hearing today will bring clarity on 
the future of FEMA and how the agency will continue to carry out its 
mission.

    Mr. D'Esposito. I now recognize the Ranking Member, the 
gentleman from Louisiana, Mr. Carter, for his opening 
statement.
    Mr. Carter. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Before I begin, Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that 
Mr. Moskowitz be permitted to sit in the subcommittee and 
question today's witness.
    Mr. D'Esposito. Without objection.
    Mr. Carter. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and good morning, 
everyone.
    I want to start by thanking Administrator Criswell for 
appearing before the subcommittee today and extending my 
gratitude to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, 
work force for all the work that you do to help disaster 
survivors in our communities.
    I do not think we can overstate the role of FEMA in the 
last few years. With its on-going work of COVID-19 and managing 
increasingly complex, frequent, and intense disasters, one 
thing I hope we can all agree on today is that, while there's 
many challenges left at FEMA, we need to support FEMA and its 
work force to be reliable partners and to help address the many 
challenges facing our communities.
    I'm eager to hear from you today, Administrator Criswell, 
about the agency's effort in supporting the growth and success 
of this remarkable work force to ensure that they are prepared 
for disasters.
    Hurricane season began June 1. We've already had three 
named storms. Although the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration projected a near-normal Atlantic hurricane 
season, we've already seen 38 major disaster declarations this 
year, and the hurricane season just started days ago.
    As I reflect upon the start of hurricane season, I am 
concerned about the Disaster Relief Fund, DRF, which, as I 
understand, could be exhausted before the end of the fiscal 
year, and even before the traditionally more active portions of 
the hurricane season.
    For this issue, administrator, we need to know how to help 
so you can do your job--how we can help so you can do your job 
more effectively. We know these resources are critical.
    While FEMA's work force is preparing for emerging 
disasters, including those brought on by hurricane season, it 
should not be forgotten that the work force is managing a very, 
very large portfolio of nearly 1,000 open past disasters, 
including providing on-going support for Hurricanes Maria, 
Michael, Ida, Ian, Fiona, and COVID-19.
    In New Orleans, we've experienced the extreme weather 
events of late. Of the 301 hurricanes that have hit the United 
States since 1851, 62 of them hit my home State of Louisiana, 
the third-most of any State in the Union.
    A grave concern that has arisen due to extreme weather 
events is flooding and the increasing cost in flood insurance 
policies.
    Louisianians depend on the National Flood Insurance 
Program, NFIP, to provide affordable insurance coverage. 
However, FEMA recently established a new Risk Rating 2.0, which 
prices people out of the program instead of continuing to 
provide affordable insurance.
    For flood insurance costs, Louisiana is expected to see an 
increase of as much as 130 percent on average to a single 
family home, phased in over years.
    This policy would ensure that hundreds, if not thousands, 
of Louisianians will be vulnerable during extreme weather 
occurrences because they simply cannot afford to pay flood 
insurance.
    Families should not have to choose between food on the 
table and paying a ridiculously high flood insurance premium to 
a program that is governed by the Federal Government.
    Administrator Criswell, I have raised these questions with 
you, and since our last conversation my concerns on flood 
insurance cost increases in Louisiana have not changed. I'm 
disappointed that since our last conversation there's not been 
any improvements, nor follow-up, from you or your team on this 
issue.
    I hope to hear from you today about how you're working to 
make flood insurance more affordable, more accessible, and not 
just become a luxury that only the wealthy can afford.
    In addition to managing disasters and flood insurance, FEMA 
administers the Department of Homeland Security's preparedness 
grants State and local, which include the Urban Areas Security 
Initiative and the State Homeland Security Program. These 
programs assist State and local jurisdictions build and 
maintain Homeland Security's capabilities to prepare and 
respond for threats.
    As an advocate of UASI and the United States Homeland 
Security Program, I'm concerned about the agency's budget 
request for fiscal year 2024, which proposes cuts to UASI and 
the State Homeland Security Program.
    I look forward to speaking with you more on this issue 
today as we go through testimony.
    One area I am pleased with the administration's progress is 
that we see more of an issue of equity in disaster. The 
disaster recovery process impacts individuals differently and 
should be handled as such, but equally across the board for all 
constituencies regardless of their ability to be organized or 
prepared to access these resources.
    I commend Administrator Criswell and the Biden 
administration for incorporating principles of equity in 
initiatives such as the 2022 to 2026 FEMA Strategic Plan. The 
Strategic Plan prioritizes equity as a fundamental aspect of 
emergency management.
    Furthermore, I am proud to co-chair Ranking Member 
Thompson's Congressional Disaster Equity and Building 
Resilience Caucus, which aims to promote equity in disaster 
preparedness and response and provide a valuable forum to 
discuss Federal policies that impact underserved communities in 
disasters.
    While some of my colleagues on the other side consider 
FEMA's equity work to be racial discrimination or take away 
from the culture of preparedness, those of us working and 
watching know that storms do not know socioeconomic status, 
age, race, rural, urban, et cetera.
    However, we must take and make sure that Federal policies 
do not push people further into poverty or limit access to key 
disaster assistance programs.
    I wish equity had been a top conversation during Hurricane 
Katrina. Undoubtedly, promoting equity in emergency management 
prior to Katrina would have saved lives and property.
    So let me reiterate that I am grateful for FEMA's work on 
equity and hope to see more done with it in the future. I look 
forward to hearing from the administrator about how FEMA is 
addressing the overgrowing threats we face as a Nation and what 
can Congress do to assist you to do your job better.
    Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
    [The statement of Ranking Member Carter follows:]
               Statement of Ranking Member Troy A. Carter
                             July 13, 2023
    I want to start by thanking you, Administrator Criswell, for 
appearing before the subcommittee today and extending my gratitude to 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) workforce for all the 
work you do to help disaster survivors and communities.
    I do not think you can overstate the role of FEMA the last few 
years, with its on-going work on COVID-19 and managing increasingly 
complex, frequent, and intense disasters. One thing I hope we can all 
agree on today is that while there have been challenges at FEMA, we 
need to support the FEMA workforce and be a reliable partner to help 
you address challenges.
    I am eager to hear from you, Administrator Criswell, about the 
agency's efforts in supporting the growth and success of this 
remarkable workforce to ensure that they are prepared for disasters. 
Hurricane Season began on June 1, and we have already had three named 
storms. Although the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
(NOAA) projected a ``near-normal'' Atlantic hurricane season, we have 
already seen 38 major disaster declarations this year, and the 
hurricane season started just days ago.
    As I reflect upon the start of hurricane season, I am concerned 
about the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF), which as I understand could be 
exhausted before the end of the fiscal year and even before the 
traditionally more active portion of hurricane season. For this issue, 
Administrator, we need to know how to help so you can do your job 
effectively. While the FEMA workforce is preparing for emerging 
disasters, including those brought on by hurricane season, it should 
not be forgotten that the workforce is managing a very large portfolio 
of nearly 1,000 (968 to be precise) open past disasters, including 
providing on-going support for Hurricanes Maria, Michael, Ida, Ian, 
Fiona, and COVID-19.
    In New Orleans, we have experience with extreme weather events. Of 
the 301 hurricanes that have hit the United States since 1851, 62 have 
hit Louisiana--the third-most of any State. A grave concern that has 
arisen due to extreme weather events is flooding and increasing costs 
in flood insurance policies.
    Louisianians depend on the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) 
to provide affordable insurance coverage. However, FEMA recently 
established the new Risk Rating 2.0 system, which prices people out of 
the program instead of continuing to provide affordable insurance.
    For flood insurance costs, Louisiana is expected ``to see an 
increase of 134 percent on average single-family homes, phased in over 
years.'' This policy would ensure that hundreds, if not thousands, of 
Louisianians, will be vulnerable during extreme weather occurrences 
because they cannot afford to pay for flood insurance. Families should 
not have to choose between food on the table and paying a ridiculously 
high flood insurance premiums.
    Administrator Criswell, I have raised these concerns with you and 
since our last conversation, my concerns on flood insurance cost 
increases for Louisianans have not changed. I am disappointed that 
since our last conversation, there has not been any improvement nor 
follow-up from you on this issue. I hope to hear from you today about 
how you are working to make sure that flood insurance does not become a 
luxury that only few can afford.
    In addition to managing disasters and flood insurance, FEMA 
administers the Department of Homeland Security's preparedness grants 
to States and locals, which include the Urban Area Security Initiative 
(UASI) and the State Homeland Security Program. These funds assist 
State and local jurisdictions build and maintain homeland security 
capabilities to prepare for and respond to threats. As an advocate for 
the UASI and the State Homeland Security Program, I am concerned about 
the agency's budget request for fiscal year 2024, which proposes cuts 
to UASI and the State Homeland Security Program. I look forward to 
speaking more about this issue today.
    One area where I am pleased with the administration's progress and 
hope to see more is the issue of equity in disasters. Disasters and the 
recovery process impacts individuals differently. I commend 
Administrator Criswell and the Biden administration for incorporating 
principles of equity in initiatives such as the 2022-2026 FEMA 
Strategic Plan. The strategic plan prioritizes equity as a fundamental 
aspect of emergency management. Furthermore, I am a proud co-chair of 
Ranking Member Thompson's Congressional Disaster Equity and Building 
Resilience Caucus, which aims to promote equity in disaster 
preparedness and response and provide a valuable forum to discuss 
Federal policies that impact underserved communities in disasters.
    While some of my colleagues on the other side consider FEMA's 
equity work to be ``racial discrimination'' or takeaway from the 
culture of preparedness, those of us watching know that storms do not 
know socio-economic status, age, race, rural, urban, etc.; however, we 
must make sure that Federal policies do not push people further into 
poverty or limit access to key disaster assistance programs.
    I wish equity had been a topic of conversation during Hurricane 
Katrina. Undoubtedly, promoting equity in emergency management prior to 
Katrina would have saved lives and property. So let me reiterate that I 
am grateful for FEMA's work on equity and hope to see you do more.

    Mr. D'Esposito. Thank you, Ranking Member Carter.
    Other Members of the committee are reminded that opening 
statements may be submitted for the record.
    [The statement of Ranking Member Thompson follows:]
             Statement of Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson
                             July 13, 2023
    I want to thank the FEMA workforce for working so hard to achieve 
their mission of helping people before, during, and after disasters. 
FEMA has been particularly active in Mississippi over the last year--
helping with the Jackson water crisis and the devastating March 24 
tornadoes, which killed 22 people in the State and left catastrophic 
damage throughout my District. The FEMA workforce has been there, ready 
to help at every step since the tornado, and we appreciate it.
    Unfortunately, these kinds of disasters are becoming more frequent 
and severe due to climate change. While some of my colleagues on the 
other side may not believe in climate change, the hard truth is that 
climate change is worsening disasters, causing death and destruction, 
and destabilizing markets. Last Monday, the world experienced the 
hottest day ever recorded globally. I hope that we can have an honest 
conversation about the role of climate change in our collective 
preparedness and response efforts.
    These disasters are even affecting Americans' ability to buy 
insurance. In recent weeks, State Farm, AllState, and Farmers have 
announced they are leaving the home insurance market in California and 
have cited ``growing catastrophe exposure'' as a reason. In Florida, 
homeowners are struggling to buy storm coverage because several 
insurers have already pulled out of the State. Unlike insurance 
companies, FEMA cannot pack up and leave a market when storms get to be 
too much. With all its responsibilities, the FEMA workforce faces its 
own challenges including low morale, low retention, harassment, and a 
lack of diversity. According to a report by the U.S. Government 
Accountability Office (GAO), while FEMA has increased its workforce 
over the years, it remains nearly 6,000 employees short of its staffing 
goals. I hope we can discuss how Congress can be more helpful as the 
agency works to resolve its workforce challenges.
    On a positive note, I am pleased that the Biden administration has 
made equity a priority in disasters. Those of us knowledgeable about 
disaster response are familiar with the inequitable response to 
Hurricanes Katrina, Harvey, Sandy, and Maria, where marginalized 
communities were left vulnerable, often with tragic consequences. Low-
income communities, rural areas, racial minorities, Tribes, individuals 
with disabilities, seniors, and children experience the most 
devastating impacts of disasters.
    Ensuring equity in disasters is critical to helping all of our 
constituents when disasters strike.
    That is why in May, Representatives Carter, Titus, Higgins, and I 
formed the Disaster Equity and Building Resilience Caucus along with 19 
other Members. The Caucus aims to examine how disasters exacerbate 
existing inequities and how disaster response often amplifies and 
entrenches long-standing social and economic disparities. And we want 
to be engaged on how to address those problems. While aiming to build 
equity within emergency management, we must not forget about building 
equity within contracting services, which is crucial during the 
recovery process.
    Throughout the years, I have witnessed first-hand how small, local, 
minority-owned businesses are left out of the contracting process. I 
look forward to hearing from Administrator Criswell about the progress 
FEMA has made on this issue and what more can be done.
    I also look forward to hearing how FEMA is enhancing public safety 
by administering critical Department of Homeland Security Grants, which 
includes the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). As a strong 
supporter of the NSGP, I am thankful that the President's budget 
request for fiscal year 2024 includes $360 million for the program, 
which is a $55 million increase.
    The NSGP is integral to securing nonprofit organizations at high 
risk of terrorist attack, and it deserves our strong support. 
Additionally, FEMA improving its execution of the program is critical 
to the program's growth and ability to address threats.

    Mr. D'Esposito. Without objection, the gentleman from New 
York, Mr. Lawler, and the gentleman from Guam, Mr. Moylan, are 
permitted to sit on the dais and ask questions of the witnesses 
for this subcommittee hearing.
    I am pleased to have a very distinguished witness before us 
today, and I ask that the administrator please rise and raise 
her right hand.
    [Witness sworn.]
    Mr. D'Esposito. Thank you very much.
    Let the record reflect that the witness has answered in the 
affirmative.
    Thank you again for being here.
    I would now like to formally introduce our witness.
    Ms. Deanne Criswell is the 12th administrator of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency. In this position, 
Administrator Criswell manages a work force of more than 22,000 
individuals and oversees FEMA's mission of helping people 
before, during, and after disasters.
    This is not a small feat, considering since the 
administrator's confirmation in April 2021 there have been over 
120 major disaster declarations.
    Prior to becoming the FEMA administrator, Ms. Criswell 
served as the commissioner of the New York City Emergency 
Management Department where she led New York City's response to 
the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Additionally, Ms. Criswell served for over 20 years in the 
Colorado Air National Guard.
    Thank you for your service to our country, and as a proud 
New Yorker, thank you for you and your service to the great 
State of New York.
    I thank the witness for being here today.
    I now recognize Administrator Criswell for 5 minutes to 
summarize her opening statement.

STATEMENT OF DEANNE CRISWELL, ADMINISTRATOR, FEDERAL EMERGENCY 
                       MANAGEMENT AGENCY

    Ms. Criswell. Chairman D'Esposito, Ranking Member Carter, 
and the Members of the subcommittee, thank you for the 
opportunity to join you today to discuss the future of FEMA.
    FEMA has a powerful mission statement spelled out in just 
seven words: Helping people before, during, and after 
disasters.
    There is no question that this mission has grown more 
challenging over the last decade, and I saw this first-hand 
from the vantage point of my previous position as the 
commissioner of New York City Emergency Management, and I see 
it with crystal clarity from the vantage point of my current 
role.
    From atmospheric rivers in January, to tornadoes and 
wildfires in December, we can no longer speak of a disaster 
season. We now face intensified natural disasters throughout 
the year, often in places that are not used to experiencing 
them.
    In December 2021, we announced a Strategic Plan that has 
three cross-cutting objectives.
    Our first goal is to instill equity as a foundation of 
emergency management, to ensure that all disaster survivors 
receive the assistance for which they qualify for under the 
law.
    This requires recognizing that vulnerable communities, 
vulnerable individuals in our country, can have more difficulty 
accessing this assistance.
    For example, we took a hard look at our Individuals and 
Households Assistance Program and implemented several 
improvements through a ``people first'' approach.
    In some rural areas of the country, homeowners have handed 
down their property to their heirs informally over the 
generations, and there may not be recorded deeds to their 
homes.
    Under our previous policy, a flood survivor in Appalachia 
or a tornado survivor in Mississippi would have faced 
difficulty accessing FEMA assistance without formal proof of 
ownership. We changed our policy and now accept alternative 
forms of documentation.
    Since we implemented these changes in August 2021, tens of 
thousands of homeowners and renters have received FEMA 
assistance that might have been denied previously.
    We also changed how we calculate the threshold for property 
losses to qualify for our Direct Housing Program, which ensures 
more precise damage evaluations regardless of size or the 
damage of the home.
    The old rules disadvantaged homeowners with more modest 
homes. The new calculation methodology is more accurate in 
providing assistance that is proportionate to the damage that 
is sustained.
    Our second strategic goal is to lead the whole of community 
in climate resilience. FEMA is not just a response and recovery 
agency. What we do to prepare for disasters is often as 
important, or more important, than what we do after disaster 
strikes.
    Congress' investment in mitigation programs to make our 
Nation more resilient has been robust. We have seen this 
through your support of the development of our BRIC Program, 
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities. To date, for 
BRIC alone we have announced nearly $4 billion in grants for 
hazard mitigation projects.
    We also appreciate the strong bipartisan support for the 
STORM Act Revolving Loan Fund through which FEMA is providing 
seed funding to States and Tribes to establish hazard 
mitigation revolving loan funds.
    In implementing these and other mitigation programs, we are 
also providing technical assistance to knock down the barriers 
that communities with limited capacity face when seeking this 
mitigation funding.
    Our third strategic goal is to promote and sustain a ready 
FEMA and a prepared Nation.
    On the work force front, between 2015 and 2021 alone FEMA 
experienced a 165 percent increase in the number of staff who 
deployed to disaster operations for over 30 days.
    Our FEMA Reservists are the majority of our disaster 
response work force, and we are very grateful that Congress 
approved the CREW Act last year, which now extends USERRA labor 
protections, greatly improving our ability to recruit and 
retain these efforts.
    Readiness also requires we preposition resources to ensure 
we can respond more quickly and effectively. For example, in 
preparation for the 2023 hurricane season, FEMA has 11 times 
the amount of water, 12 times the amount of meals, 8 times the 
number of tarps, and more than twice the number of generators 
staged on Puerto Rico compared to when Hurricane Maria hit in 
2017.
    Just as we must be prepared for natural disasters, we must 
also be prepared for terrorist attacks. For our fiscal year 
2024 budget, our budget request includes a $55 million increase 
in the Nonprofit Security Grant Program.
    I look forward to discussing more our suite of preparedness 
grant programs with you.
    From my time as commissioner of New York City Emergency 
Management, I understand, as all of you do, what disasters mean 
from the local stakeholder perspective.
    From my current position, I see the unwavering dedication 
of our FEMA work force to supporting people across our Nation 
before, during, and after disasters, facing what is for many of 
them the worst day of their lives.
    Our FEMA work force demonstrates the best of our country, 
and I am committed to supporting the work force in every way 
possible, and I ask for continued support from each of you in 
this effort.
    Thank you again, and I look forward to your questions.
    [The prepared statement of Ms. Criswell follows:]
                 Prepared Statement of Deanne Criswell
                             June 13, 2023
    Chairman D'Esposito, Ranking Member Carter, and Members of the 
subcommittee, thank you for this opportunity to discuss the future of 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). We value this 
committee's support and oversight of our agency, and I look forward to 
our conversation today.
    FEMA has a powerful mission statement, spelled out in just seven 
words: helping people before, during, and after disasters. That mission 
statement is our North Star, and it reflects a deep and abiding 
commitment to our Nation, its people, and public service by our FEMA 
workforce.
    There is no question that the field of emergency management has 
grown more challenging over the last decade. I saw it from the vantage 
point of my previous position as commissioner of New York City 
Emergency Management--and I see it with crystal clarity from the 
vantage point of my current role. Emergency Managers--at every level of 
government--are being asked to do more, respond more, and solve more 
complex problems.
    In 2010, there were 108 declared disasters for FEMA to support. 
Just 10 years later, that number increased to 315--including the 
response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We can no longer speak of a 
``disaster season''--we now face intensified natural disasters 
throughout the year, often in places that are not used to experiencing 
them. Our mission has not changed, but our operating environment has. 
With that, comes the challenge of ensuring that everyone who qualifies 
for FEMA assistance is able to access that help.
    In December 2021, we announced a strategic plan that has three 
crosscutting objectives to help us meet FEMA's mission. Our first 
strategic goal is to instill equity as a foundation of emergency 
management, to ensure that all disaster survivors receive the 
assistance for which they qualify under the law. This requires 
recognizing that vulnerable individuals and communities in our country 
could have more difficulty accessing that assistance. As an agency, we 
must have a ``people first'' focus, and eliminate the barriers to 
individuals and communities accessing our programs.
    For example, we took a hard look at our Individuals and Households 
Assistance program (IHP) and implemented several improvements through a 
people-first lens. In some rural areas of the country, homeowners have 
handed down their property to their heirs informally over generations, 
and there may not be recorded deeds to their homes. Under our previous 
policy, a flood survivor in Appalachia or a tornado survivor in 
Mississippi would have faced difficulty accessing FEMA assistance 
without formal proof of ownership. We changed our policy, and now 
accept alternative forms of documentation such as Department of Motor 
Vehicles registration and utility bills, while still taking steps to 
guard against potentially fraudulent claims. Since we implemented these 
changes in August 2021, FEMA has helped tens of thousands of homeowners 
and renters receive assistance they might have been denied under the 
old system simply because they lacked traditional documentation.
    We also changed how we calculate the threshold for property losses 
to qualify for Direct Housing, which ensures more precise damage 
evaluations regardless of the size of the damaged home. The old rules 
disadvantaged homeowners with more modest homes, who might have 
suffered comparable damage to larger homes, but were receiving less 
assistance. The new calculation methodology is more accurate in 
providing assistance that is proportionate to the damage sustained. 
Bottom line, our priority is to make sure all survivors get the 
assistance for which they qualify under the law.
    Our second strategic goal is to enhance the Nation's ability to 
anticipate, prepare for, and adapt to future climate conditions. FEMA 
is not just a response and recovery agency. Through close collaboration 
with Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territory governments, 
community-based organizations, and the private sector, FEMA is 
positioning itself as a true resilience agency. We must recognize the 
changing climate and ensure that we are prepared for the challenges it 
brings us and will continue to bring. What we do to prepare for all 
hazards is often as important as what we do after disaster strikes.
    Congress' investment in mitigation programs to make our Nation more 
resilient has been robust. We have seen this through your support of 
the development of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and 
Communities or ``BRIC'' grant program in 2018, and through the 
appropriation of $6.8 billion in funds to FEMA in the Bipartisan 
Infrastructure Law (BIL) in 2021. To date, for BRIC alone, the 
administration has announced nearly $4 billion in available funding to 
States, local communities, Tribal Nations, and territories to undertake 
hazard mitigation projects and reduce the risks they face from 
disasters and other natural hazards.
    We also appreciate the strong bipartisan support for the 
Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation (STORM) Act 
Revolving Loan Fund, which authorizes FEMA to provide seed funding to 
States and Tribes to establish hazard mitigation revolving loan funds. 
These revolving loan funds will give local governments another tool to 
finance projects to reduce their risks from natural hazards and 
disasters. In implementing these and other mitigation programs, we are 
working to eliminate the barriers that small, rural, and other 
communities with limited capacity face when seeking mitigation funding. 
By providing technical assistance, we are helping these communities 
better understand the requirements of the program and the application 
process.
    Additionally, FEMA is implementing a national strategy to 
incentivize the adoption of disaster-resistant building codes to 
strengthen buildings against intensifying disaster impacts. For 
example, in Florida, buildings built to newer codes consistently fared 
better during Hurricane Ian than older buildings. Investments in hazard 
resistant building codes over the last 20 years have saved lives, 
reduced property losses, and been shown to save $11 for every dollar 
invested.
    Our third strategic goal is to promote and sustain a ready FEMA and 
a prepared Nation. Between 2015 and 2021 alone, FEMA experienced a 165 
percent increase in the number of staff who deployed to support 
disaster operations for more than 30 days, and an unprecedented 346 
percent increase in the number of days FEMA personnel were deployed to 
disaster operations annually.
    We are very grateful to Congress for passing the Civilian Reservist 
Emergency Workforce (CREW) Act last fall. Our FEMA reservists are the 
vast majority of our disaster response workforce, and the CREW Act 
extends Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act 
(USERRA) protections to them, which will improve our recruitment and 
retention efforts. I've been to many disasters since that bill was 
signed into law and I continually run into reservists who are already 
benefiting from this legislation.
    We must also expand our approach to agency readiness and to 
national preparedness. To effectively manage disasters and administer 
recovery programs, we must first understand the environment in which we 
are working. With $1.3 million appropriated by Congress for fiscal year 
2023, FEMA is creating a steady-state disaster response analytics 
division, which will help build our geospatial capabilities, improve 
our ability to characterize incidents, and conduct analysis that 
enables us to provide a more effective and efficient response.
    FEMA is taking proactive steps to make sure we are well-positioned 
to respond to the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season. We have made 
tremendous progress over the last few years in our ability to 
preposition resources to ensure we can work with our State, local, 
Tribal, and territorial partners quickly and effectively. For example, 
FEMA had 9 times the amount of water, 10 times the number of meals, 8 
times the number of tarps, and 3 times the number of generators staged 
on Puerto Rico ahead of the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season as compared 
to when Hurricane Maria hit the island in 2017. A more forward-leaning 
posture to support immediate critical needs after a disaster is a key 
progression toward a more ready FEMA and a more prepared Nation.
    Just as FEMA must be ready to respond to natural disasters through 
our preparedness efforts, we must equally be ready and equipped to 
respond when terrorist attacks occur. Last year, the Congregation Beth 
Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, experienced a horrific incident 
of targeted violence, which reminds us that threats to the homeland no 
longer occur only in high-population areas. During my visit to 
Colleyville, I met with the Rabbi and the congregants and saw first-
hand how this devasting event impacted not only the community but their 
individual lives as well. They also shared how the funding they 
received from the Nonprofit Security Grant Program greatly benefited 
their efforts to recover and to protect themselves from future attacks. 
In fiscal year 2024, our budget request includes a $55 million increase 
in the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. This vital grant supports 
local communities through target hardening, physical security 
enhancements, and other activities for nonprofit organizations that are 
at high risk of a terrorist or other extremist attack.
    This subcommittee has oversight of this and other FEMA preparedness 
grant programs, and I look forward to discussing the suite of those 
grant programs with you today.
    From my time as commissioner of New York City Emergency Management, 
I understand--as you do--what disasters mean from the local stakeholder 
perspective. From my current position, I see the unwavering dedication 
of our FEMA workforce to supporting people across our Nation before, 
during, and after disasters, facing what is, in many cases, the worst 
tragedy of people's lives. Our FEMA workforce demonstrates the very 
best of the United States of America, and I am committed to supporting 
the FEMA workforce in every way possible. I ask for continued support 
from each of you.
    Thank you for the opportunity to testify today, and I look forward 
to your questions.

    Mr. D'Esposito. Thank you, Administrator Criswell.
    Members will be recognized by order of seniority for their 
5 minutes of questioning. An additional round of questioning 
may be called after all Members have been recognized.
    I now recognize myself for 5 minutes of questioning.
    Administrator, last year the Department of Homeland 
Security established the Southwest Border Coordination Center 
to, ``coordinate planning, operations, engagement, and 
interagency support.''
    The President's fiscal year 2024 budget request includes 
$4.7 billion, with a ``b'', for the Southwest Border 
Contingency Fund to respond to migration surges along the 
Southwest Border.
    Given that Secretary Mayorkas has repeatedly stated that 
there is not a crisis at the Southwest Border, why is FEMA 
being included in the Southwest Border Contingency Fund?
    Ms. Criswell. Congressman, Chairman, first, I just want to 
clarify for the record that FEMA is not an immigration agency. 
We do follow Congressional direction in the program that we do 
have that supports the Emergency Food and Shelter Program for 
humanitarian efforts and now the Shelter and Services Program, 
SSP.
    We do support the President's budget, and we did 
participate in the development of that request, which does 
include, as you stated, $4.7 billion for the DHS Border 
Contingency Fund.
    Depending on the conditions and the dynamic nature of the 
border, what that contingency fund also provides is up to $800 
million that could be available to FEMA to support our Shelter 
and Services Program. This would be the same level as fiscal 
year 2023.
    Mr. D'Esposito. OK. Thank you.
    On to sort-of a different topic. On May 15, a bipartisan 
group of 51 Members of Congress, including myself and Majority 
Leader Steve Scalise, sent a letter requesting a briefing and 
documents related to the National Flood Insurance Program's 
Risk Ratings 2.0.
    To date, your agency has not produced any responsive 
documents, and even though we anticipated receiving a briefing 
last month, your staff now indicates they may not provide the 
briefing, citing on-going litigation.
    On-going litigation is not a basis for refusing to provide 
a briefing to Congress.
    When can you anticipate that your staff will provide the 
responsive documents and the requested briefing?
    Ms. Criswell. Chairman, I will certainly follow up with my 
staff when we return back to the office.
    Mr. D'Esposito. Thank you.
    Ms. Criswell. I need to understand their point, but it's 
not acceptable that we haven't gotten back to you, and I'll 
make sure that we take care of that when we get back there.
    Mr. D'Esposito. Thank you. I appreciate that.
    During the prior Congress, when Democrats controlled the 
House, FEMA produced documents at least 27 times to the Select 
COVID Subcommittee. Many of those productions had multiple 
subparts and were produced on a regular basis.
    Really the question is, we need to make sure that that May 
15 request receives the same attention that it did for requests 
prior. So I just ask that when you get back to the office, if 
you could follow up with that, we'd really appreciate it.
    Ms. Criswell. You have my commitment on that, Chairman.
    Mr. D'Esposito. Thank you very much.
    I have a couple minutes left.
    So I also serve on Transportation and Infrastructure, and 
we had a hearing in May when I asked Deputy Administrator Hooks 
about the dwindling Disaster Relief Fund.
    Mr. Hooks estimated that the DRF would be facing a 
shortfall by the end of this summer, so just really, I guess, a 
month or a month-and-a-half away.
    In your estimation, when will the DRF run out of money?
    Ms. Criswell. Chairman, we recently submitted our report to 
Congress on the balance of the funds for the end of June, or 
through the end of June, and right now we anticipate a 
shortfall toward the mid and end of August.
    Mr. D'Esposito. OK. Now what are the plans moving forward 
with that shortfall to still protect vulnerable coastal 
communities like Long Island?
    Ms. Criswell. The Disaster Relief Fund, as we continue to 
go into the last quarter, is always a very dynamic situation, 
and the balances continue to change.
    We are monitoring it very closely and working with the 
administration on a very continuous basis so we can understand 
when we are going to approach a potential deficit and what 
tools we might have to implement to ensure that we will always 
have the funding available to respond to events like we just 
saw in Vermont.
    Mr. D'Esposito. OK. Thank you.
    I'm going to yield back my time. I now recognize Ranking 
Member Carter for 5 minutes for any questions that he may have.
    Mr. Carter. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Administrator Criswell, under Risk Rating 2.0, FEMA said 
its goal is to build equity and to ensure that rates are based 
on individual risk. However, this methodology is not building 
equity in Louisiana.
    In April in this committee, Secretary Mayorkas testified 
before the full committee. I mentioned to the Secretary my 
concerns with Risk Rating 2.0 methodology, and he stated, and I 
quote: ``We're reviewing our grants program to ensure that, 
again, that they leave no community disenfranchised. We are 
reviewing and need to continue to review Risk Rating 2.0, given 
the concerns that you have expressed.''
    Administrator Criswell, can you explain where FEMA is in 
reviewing Risk Rating 2.0, which is flawed and will devastate 
families, in Louisiana at least? Many others will likewise be 
devastated.
    What steps are you taking to ensure that the flaws within 
the methodology are fixed and thoroughly explained to the 
public?
    Ms. Criswell. Ranking Member Carter, I really appreciate 
the opportunity to have a more in-depth discussion with you on 
this that we had recently, and I appreciate the concerns that 
you raise.
    I think, again, the most important thing that I want to get 
across about Risk Rating 2.0 is that it now bases the flood 
insurance premiums on what each individual's unique flood risk 
is.
    As we talk about our approach to disaster response and 
recovery and equity, we want to recognize that each individual 
has their own unique experience. We're taking that same 
approach with Risk Rating 2.0 and recognizing that every 
homeowner has a unique risk with their home.
    We've already had at least 20 percent across the Nation of 
individuals that their risk rating--their risk premium has gone 
down. This demonstrates that they were subsidizing higher-
value, higher-risk homes across the country.
    Ranking Member, I have committed to you and I will continue 
to commit to you on how we can better communicate what these 
risks are, and also the work that we have started to try to 
incorporate what an affordability framework would look like for 
those individuals that are kind-of caught in the middle, as you 
and I discussed, where they have a lower-risk home but a high--
a lower-value home but high risk and their rates are exceeding 
what their capacity is.
    We continue to work with you on solutions to help that 
group of individuals.
    Mr. Carter. I appreciate that, Administrator. I will double 
down and push just a little bit at the sense of urgency.
    Every day that goes by, people are having to make a very 
tough decision: Can I afford to stay in the home that I own, 
that I have purchased, and now I find myself in a retirement 
situation where my dollars are fixed?
    Now potentially individuals are finding themselves in a 
situation where they have an insurance premium for flood 
insurance that's greater than their house note was when they 
had a mortgage.
    What ends up happening in the absence of a mortgage where a 
person is forced to have insurance, people go without it. The 
risk that is involved with a person potentially meeting a peril 
and not having coverage in the twilight of their lives--you 
know where this is going.
    Ms. Criswell. Yes.
    Mr. Carter. So the sense of urgency.
    I appreciate that you guys are looking at it. I appreciated 
that Secretary Mayorkas said that they were looking at it and 
recognize that there needs to be some tweaks. I would just 
hasten that we really, really push up the time frame.
    This is real life. People's lives are at risk. People's 
ability to maintain their homesteads are at risk. I would just 
implore that you guys continue pushing but push a little 
faster, a little harder, to give some relief, not just to 
recognize but to have a plan of relief for the community.
    I've got one last question. I'm sorry, I'm blowing through 
my time.
    Last week the world recorded its hottest 3 days on record. 
This week the world has seen flooding in New York's Hudson 
Valley, Vermont, Japan, China, and India.
    It's hard to deny that there is such a thing as climate 
change. Yet just in April this year, April 26 border mark-up, 
one of my colleagues at a mark-up described climate change as a 
hoax.
    Administrator Criswell, is climate change a hoax, as one of 
my colleagues described it, or is it a considerable threat to 
our Nation and our environment?
    Ms. Criswell. Ranking Member Carter, I consider climate 
change one of our most significant threats in the future and 
the crisis of the generation that we're living in right now.
    As I spoke in my testimony, we have seen atmospheric rivers 
batter the coast of California in January, wildfires, tornadoes 
hit communities in December. We no longer have a disaster 
season.
    Our focus at FEMA is to make sure that we can help people 
better understand what their risks are going to be, not just 
today but 5 or 10 years from now, and how we can help them with 
our mitigation programs to reduce the impacts of those risks.
    Mr. Carter. My time has expired. I yield back, Mr. 
Chairman.
    Mr. D'Esposito. The gentleman's time has expired.
    I now recognize my good friend, fellow Long Islander, 
fellow New Yorker, Mr. LaLota, for 5 minutes.
    Mr. LaLota. Thank you. I want to thank my good friend, NYPD 
veteran and Chairman of this committee D'Esposito, for hosting 
this important meeting today.
    And for you, ma'am, for being here. I understand you 
deployed a couple times to the Middle East post-9/11, and I 
want to thank you for your service as well.
    I represent the First Congressional District of New York, 
the east end of Long Island. We're surrounded by water on three 
sides, and we're no stranger to natural disasters.
    We've experienced some of the most significant storms over 
the past couple of decades, including Hurricanes Sandy, Irene, 
Maria, Ida, Michael, and Tropical Storm Isaias, just to name a 
few.
    These storms have done immense damage to my constituents' 
property, whether it was flooding in their homes, a tree that 
maybe fell on top of their car, losing power for a few weeks at 
a time, or the worst-case scenario, loss of life.
    Historically, the United States has invested far too little 
in the Federal disaster mitigation efforts. As recently as 
fiscal year 2015, under President Obama, the Federal Government 
spent just $30 million across the entire country for pre-
disaster mitigation purposes, despite spending billions in 
emergency post-disaster funds.
    That changed several years later in 2018 under President 
Trump when he signed the Disaster Recovery Reform Act, which 
created FEMA's new and enhanced Pre-Disaster Mitigation 
Program--the BRIC Program--that was set to disburse billions 
across the country for pre-disaster mitigation for communities.
    So my question, administrator, is there's been three rounds 
of funding so far totaling over $4 billion. Where is the money? 
How much of that has gone directly to affected communities? 
What's the hold-up over at FEMA?
    Ms. Criswell. Congressman, thank you for the question. The 
BRIC Program is truly one of our hallmark programs that allows 
us to help these communities reduce the impact that we're 
seeing from severe weather events.
    I think one of the best things about this program is, in 
its legacy program, the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program, we had 
a Federal limit of $5 million. We can't do much with mitigation 
for $5 million.
    This program gives us a $50 million Federal cost share, 
which gives us the ability to do community-wide projects.
    As for specifically on where the money is going, I'd be 
happy to schedule a briefing with you on the projects that we 
have already approved and where funding will go and to help 
these communities.
    We continue to release our Notice of Funding Opportunities 
every year, we'll have another one coming out later this year, 
to continue to get this critical funding into the hands of 
these jurisdictions so they can make the needed improvements 
ahead of these disasters.
    Mr. LaLota. I'd welcome the opportunity for my office to 
work with yours on ways that Congress can be helpful to that 
end. My understanding is, the money invested earlier on 
typically gets a larger ROI than the things that we spend--the 
money we spend to react to disasters.
    Ms. Criswell. Yes.
    Mr. LaLota. So this is a great endeavor that taxpayers, 
property owners, and everybody in between should want to have 
happen, and I'd welcome the opportunity to work with you.
    Switching gears just a little bit with a minute or 2 left.
    I appreciate that FEMA has been receptive to the concerns 
raised by the New York delegation throughout the COVID-19 
pandemic. However, while the public health emergency has ended, 
hospitals in my district and across New York are still 
expending tremendous time and scarce resources to see they are 
fully and fairly reimbursed by FEMA for COVID-19-related 
expenses.
    My question is, as the agency's focus shifts to preparing 
for natural disasters and other potential threats, what is your 
agency doing to ensure that outstanding applications for 
reimbursement of COVID-19-related expenses are indeed 
addressed?
    Ms. Criswell. Yes. The COVID-19 incident period is the 
longest incident period in our agency's history, again, just 
closing on May 11.
    We continue to prioritize the reimbursement requests from 
hospitals, and, in fact, in New York, we have created a task 
force to work specifically with them so we can continue to 
support the costs that they incurred to help make sure that 
they were keeping people safe throughout the pandemic.
    We treat all of our disasters the same, and COVID-19 is the 
same as all of our other major disaster declarations. We have 
dedicated personnel working across the country to make sure 
that we're treating all of the requests for reimbursement that 
come in equally.
    Mr. LaLota. So the money has been laid out. The money has 
been spent. FEMA has generally said that they will reimburse. 
Now the task force for it. What expectation can I tell my 
constituents to have with respect to the timeliness of all that 
work?
    You have a task force on hand. That's good. We appreciate 
that attention. What can I tell them as far as when they can 
get the reimbursement they were told they were going to get?
    Ms. Criswell. I think the best thing would be, if they're 
having struggles with getting reimbursement, let us work with 
them. It requires documentation, and sometimes we just have to 
work with them to get the appropriate paperwork to submit so we 
can do the reimbursement. If you have a jurisdiction that's 
having a specific issue, we'd be happy to work with them 
directly.
    Mr. LaLota. My understanding is they've submitted most if 
not all of the paperwork and that they're merely waiting on the 
bureaucracy in Washington, which I understand isn't specific 
just to your agency.
    But, nevertheless, can you tell me, a week, a month, 6 
months, a year? What can I tell them is the appropriate amount 
of time to wait for an application that is complete and in 
order that is in your agency's hands?
    Ms. Criswell. Yes. If they have submitted everything and we 
didn't have any additional questions, it shouldn't take that 
much time. So, again, I'd have to understand the unique 
situation or their specific instance. I'm happy to work through 
that with them.
    Mr. LaLota. Thanks. I appreciate it, and I look forward to 
working with you.
    I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
    Mr. D'Esposito. The gentleman yields back.
    I now recognize Mr. Strong from Alabama.
    Mr. Strong. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Administrator Criswell, thank you for being here with us 
today.
    You know as well as I do that Alabama is no stranger to 
natural disasters and FEMA.
    I want to thank you for your attention to the recovery 
efforts and for making the trip to Alabama to survey the damage 
first-hand. Thank you.
    Administrator Criswell, since 2021 we have seen FEMA divert 
precious time, resources, and manpower to deal with this 
administration's border crisis. This includes by diverting 
funds intended for American families struggling with hunger and 
homelessness to illegal aliens and by developing FEMA's 
personnel to quickly expand safe and appropriate shelter and 
provide food, water, and basic medical care for migrants 
illegally arriving in the United States.
    This all comes at a time when the agency is severely 
understaffed. A May 2023 GAO report found that FEMA faces a 
staffing shortfall of approximately 6,200 employees.
    In the report, FEMA officials attributed this staffing 
deficiency to additional responsibilities the agency has been 
saddled with.
    One can conclude that the border mission is one such 
responsibility that you have been saddled with. It could all be 
alleviated if this administration would just secure the 
Southern Border.
    I understand that DHS as a whole is facing staffing 
shortages, but pulling FEMA and other agencies away from their 
primary mission isn't a solution, especially when the mission 
is a vital resource for those in my district.
    My question for you is, when Alabamians are working to 
recover from a natural disaster--hurricane, tornado--and 
desperately are waiting for FEMA trucks to roll in and give 
them some relief, when they're wondering when help is coming, 
what do you want me to tell them?
    Because I'm having to tell them that FEMA's limited staff 
is busy serving illegal aliens and will get to them later just 
doesn't cut it.
    Ms. Criswell. Congressman, again, FEMA does not have an 
immigration mission. Our mission is to help people before, 
during, and after these severe weather events that we continue 
to see. That is our focus.
    As the GAO report pointed out, some of the staffing 
shortfalls, the majority of that is within our Reservist work 
force.
    Again, I really appreciate the bipartisan support of 
passing the CREW Act, which gives us the opportunity to recruit 
and retain similar to our Department of Defense counterparts 
that have USERRA protection. This is a critical tool for us to 
make sure we can build up that Reservist work force.
    I can assure you, Congressman, that our focus is always on 
helping people that have been impacted by these severe weather 
events. It will remain our focus. They will not see a shortfall 
in our ability to come in and help them.
    Mr. Strong. Thank you. I thank you for your commitment.
    I also want to recognize that this oversight committee has 
Members with a large background in law enforcement. We've got 
police officers here, homicide investigators, 39 years as a 
firefighter, serving in every position from a ranger to 
assistant fire chief. I think that offers a lot in this 
committee.
    I want to thank those that serve here on both sides of the 
aisle. We've got folks that were 9-1-1 dispatchers, 
firefighters. I worked for Huntsville Med Flight. You just go 
down that list.
    I've also worked 4 or 5 natural disasters, including the 
tornadoes of 2011 where 350 homes were totally destroyed 
practically in my backyard, thousands of homes with major 
damage, 9 of my neighbors lost their life. In record time we 
removed more than 500,000 cubic yards of debris.
    It was a great relationship with FEMA. The Southeast was 
totally destroyed in a matter of days. But I'll tell you this 
right here: We learned from every event.
    The one thing that I do want to say is that FEMA cannot--
we've got to focus on readiness. I think that it's at a great 
point, because our next natural disaster is a matter of days 
away.
    I thank you for your service.
    I'd like to yield back any remaining time that I've got to 
Representative Moylan.
    Mr. D'Esposito. The gentleman yields back.
    I now recognize another fellow New Yorker, Mr. Goldman.
    Mr. Goldman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Administrator Criswell, thank you for being here today.
    I want to focus, as the Representative from New York City 
in the district that includes the Statue of Liberty and Ellis 
Island, we in New York City are incredibly proud of the efforts 
that the city is making to welcome and support migrants who are 
escaping horrific conditions in their own countries to seek the 
American Dream as so many have done throughout our history.
    We, of course, are a country of immigrants. I certainly am 
a descendant of a grandmother who escaped anti-Semitism in 
Russia and came through Ellis Island. So this is something that 
most of us who represent New York feel great pride in.
    It is incredibly burdensome on the city right now, and I 
want to focus a little bit on what FEMA can do not only to 
alleviate the financial burden on New York City and New York, 
which has in recent months, since the rolling off of Title 42, 
seen an increase in the number of newly-arrived migrants as the 
influx of migrants crossing the Southern Border has 
dramatically been reduced.
    To me, there seem to be two issues that FEMA has direct 
oversight over.
    The first is an emergency declaration, and I want to 
discuss that with you in a minute.
    The second, of course, is the Shelter and Services Program.
    New York has received a little over $100 million from that 
program. I would just make a strong, strong plea to recognize 
that those cities who have welcomed, supported, provided 
shelter, housing, health care, vaccines, shots, and assistance 
in making sure that those seeking a better life are able to do 
that, and, in fact, quite importantly, contribute significantly 
to our economy.
    What is the process that FEMA is going through right now to 
evaluate how to distribute the Shelter and Services Program 
money?
    Ms. Criswell. Thank you for the question, Congressman.
    Just to give a little background on the program, we had the 
Emergency Food and Shelter Program for humanitarian efforts 
that Congress directed funding toward a few years ago. Over 
this past year, that program has now transitioned into what is 
called a Shelter and Services Program.
    Under the EFSP--Humanitarian program, the funding was given 
to FEMA and then transferred to a board because it's part of an 
existing program we have that supports some of the homeless 
efforts across the country.
    That board made the determination on the funding that would 
be eligible for reimbursement, mostly at that point in time 
from jurisdictions at the Southern Border that were taking care 
of migrants.
    As we transition into the Shelter and Services Program, we 
are moving into a grant-directed program versus a board-
distributed program. With that, we are using existing data and 
giving an allocation to jurisdictions based on the data we have 
on the encounters that they're experiencing, the costs that 
they've stated that they're experiencing, I mean, doing a 
direct allocation.
    The purpose behind the direct allocation is so we can 
expedite the amount of money going out there, instead of going 
through a longer grant program like some of our other programs.
    This was the first iteration of this when New York received 
just over $100 million in June, and that's the direction that 
we'll continue to go with the Shelter and Services Program.
    Mr. Goldman. My understanding is that there has been 
significant reimbursement from the Shelter and Services Program 
to localities on the border, and there continues to be.
    But I am concerned that FEMA is reimbursing cities, towns, 
localities on the Southern Border who are shipping migrants to 
New York City against--potentially against their will.
    There are many that are coming into New York because they 
want to be there, but there still remain about 20 percent who 
are being bussed to New York and to other northern cities 
against their will.
    I would ask you, as the administrator for FEMA, to stop 
reimbursing those towns who are bussing migrants against their 
will. I believe that is money that should be better spent 
elsewhere and they should not be incentivized to do so.
    I hope we have another round. I see my time is up. I yield 
back to the Chairman.
    Mr. D'Esposito. The gentleman yields back.
    I now recognize Mr. Brecheen from Oklahoma for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Brecheen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Administrator, thank you very much for being here.
    FEMA is well known to Oklahomans. We just had 560,000 homes 
hit with a severe weather event. Then last winter I was on the 
ground in McCurtain County where we had a tremendous impact of 
a tornado.
    [Chart.]
    Mr. Brecheen. In the chart behind me, over the last decade 
FEMA has increased disaster-related spending in a manner that 
is quite significant. It's like year over year from 2013, like 
a 9 percent increase, way above most other agencies.
    So for someone that is very concerned with our runaway 
deficits and the fact that we'll overspend by $1.5 trillion 
this year, which was the size of our gross national debt in 
1983, just 40 years ago, we'll overspend by in 1 year what it 
took us 200 years to get to just 40 years ago, in 1983, trying 
to make our dollars go farther.
    The larger graphic--it may be hard for you to see this. I 
may be blocking your line of sight. But this is something you 
know well. It's the normal budget. Then we have to come in and 
backfill to the blue. That's the supplemental.
    But over here in the smaller graphic what you'll see is 
that's kind-of the historic look of FEMA on this very small 
chart. So where these arrows point to the top here, we can't--
the numbers are so high, we can't get above for a good visual.
    So it really showcases that in the last decade-plus we 
have--FEMA's budget has really been tremendous. That makes me 
want to transition to something, that someone might go to the 
thought of what President Biden said in 2023 where he said that 
extreme weather caused by climate change leads to stronger, 
more frequent storms, more intense droughts, longer wildfire 
seasons.
    You had said a minute ago: I see climate change as one of 
our most significant threats. So I think it's important for us 
to look at the science. I'm going to disagree with you, but I 
don't want to disagree based upon an opinion.
    Let's look at the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on 
Climate Change, because I want to push back on the thought that 
climate change is causing this, because then it gets to the 
point of maybe we need to look at efficiency to a greater 
level.
    So if you look at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate 
Change, what you'll actually find is, if you look at what the 
United Nations, not often seen as very conservative, the United 
Nations--I'm quoting from them--their Intergovernmental Panel 
on Climate Change, in regard to hurricanes, came to a 
conclusion.
    It states: There's no consensus on the role of human 
activity on changes of Atlantic hurricane activity. The IPCC 
also determined since 1900 there's been no trend in the amount 
of landfall events in the United States.
    Tornadoes. Scientists have incredibly low confidence in 
understanding their capability to attribute climate change to 
conductive storms, thunderstorms, which produce tornadoes. 
That's the National Academy of Science.
    Floods. The IPCC, the United Nations committee tasked with 
looking at climate change, estimates the total amount of 
flooding around the world. No clear picture on whether flooding 
is getting more or less frequent, much less if human activity 
is involved.
    Regarding inland flooding, they say there is a, ``lack of 
evidence and low confidence regarding the sign of a trend in 
magnitude or frequency of floods on a global scale.''
    Extreme temperatures. Wildfires. I want to go back to what 
the President was referencing. Just a few years ago, climate 
alarmists claimed that continuing ``business as usual,'' 
presumingly meaning humans continuing to engage in activities 
that emit greenhouse gases, would warm the world 4 to 5 degrees 
Celsius.
    They are now admitting that new reports support the 
prediction that the world's temperature may rise only half as 
much, which would mean 2 or 3 degrees over the next century.
    In regard to human influence, a large temperature increase 
from about 1 degree Fahrenheit occurred from 1880 to 1940, long 
before human influence had that type of impact, before 
mechanization to a great level.
    Some consider this temperature increase to be recovered 
from the Little Ice Age, spanning from 1600 to 1850, and the 
U.N. panel I keep referencing admitted the plausibility of 
this, and if true, this indicates there has been no net warming 
at all in the past century due to greenhouse gases.
    So I just--we have to look at the science and the 
international community who's saying--there's this constant 
messaging and theme. The United Nations is saying it's not 
there. There's no consensus world climate change in this 
regard.
    So I just respectfully challenge--and I know you serve this 
President--I respectfully challenge, with limited funds, with a 
budget request that wants $3.9 billion more for climate 
resiliency programs, for us to look at ways to be much more 
efficient with our taxpayer monies.
    I've got one--if you'll just indulge me--I've got one quick 
question for you.
    In your opinion, does the removal of AM radio in some 
cars--it's kind-of been a topic of discussion in the recent 
time frame--weaken your ability, through the national public 
warning system, to reach Americans in times of crisis?
    Ms. Criswell. It's a very good question, Congressman. AM 
radio is one of the most dependable ways that we can reach 
individuals across this country to get warnings out there. I do 
believe that if we remove AM radio from our vehicles, we're 
just taking away a very stable and reliable source for us to 
get that information out there.
    AM radio is integrated into our emergency alert and warning 
system, and I think it would have a significant impact.
    Mr. Brecheen. Thank you for your time. I yield back.
    Mr. D'Esposito. Thank you. Mr. Brecheen's time has expired.
    I now recognize Mr. Moylan from Guam for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Moylan. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank also 
the Members of the subcommittee for giving me this chance today 
to participate.
    Administrator Criswell, I represent Guam, and my home was 
recently rampaged by Super Typhoon Mawar. FEMA was on the 
ground prior to the storm hitting Guam, and thanks to your 
agency's efforts, no one died as a result of the devastating 
typhoon. So thank you, FEMA, for helping in my community 
recovery in this process. Thank you.
    Administrator Criswell, we were talking earlier, but what's 
the status, again, please remind me, what is the status of 
FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund? We're being told that the fund 
runs empty as early as next month. Is that the case?
    Ms. Criswell. Our current projections on the Disaster 
Relief Fund is that we will go into a deficit at some time mid- 
to late August.
    Mr. Moylan. OK. So if the Disaster Relief Funds were to run 
out, what would that mean for those in my community who have 
already been approved for certain disaster programs and 
families waiting to hear about the status of their applications 
for relief?
    Ms. Criswell. We have many tools that we can implement to 
ensure that we always have enough funding to be able to support 
the life-saving and life-sustaining activities.
    We are closely monitoring the balance within the Disaster 
Relief Fund, and my goal is to make sure that we have enough to 
continue to support the life-saving efforts that are on-going 
in Guam, as well as support any new incidents that might arise 
between now and the end of the fiscal year.
    Mr. Moylan. All right. Thank you.
    Administrator Criswell, S. 2029 has been introduced in the 
Senate by Senators Rubio, Scott, and Wicker, and I'm co-leading 
H.R. 4295 with Rep. Moskowitz, which is the House companion, 
that aims to replenish the Disaster Relief Funds in the tune of 
$11.5 billion.
    Can we count on you for your support of these measures? 
What efforts have you been pursuing to replenish these funds?
    Ms. Criswell. We appreciate the interest of Congress in the 
ability to continue to support our efforts to respond and 
recover from disasters. Throughout this, the last several 
months, we have been having an increased focus on recouping 
dollars that have been obligated but have not been needed.
    So we've been able to make sure that we are pushing, as far 
as we can, the impact that these disasters are having on the 
balance within the Disaster Relief Fund.
    It's a very dynamic process. Some of the costs that are 
coming in from some of the disasters that we had anticipated 
aren't as high, which has reduced what we think the total 
deficit will be from what we thought it might have been a few 
months ago.
    It's a very dynamic situation based on the current needs--
needs in Guam, current needs that are going on in Vermont, 
other disasters.
    So we're working very close with the administration to make 
sure that we have enough funding to make sure we can support 
those life-saving and life-sustaining operations.
    Mr. Moylan. Thank you.
    Also Guam's population includes migrants from the Compact 
of Free Association, or COFA, nations. Unfortunately, many of 
these families were not only adversely impacted by the recent 
storm, but many also don't qualify for FEMA's disaster 
programs.
    Assisting these families will soon be the responsibility of 
the local government, and FEMA provides some options to assist 
these families, especially those who continue to reside in 
shelters 50 days after the storm hit the island.
    Ms. Criswell. FEMA is just one part of the team that 
supports disaster recovery, and we do know that there are 
individuals that are eligible for our programs based on their 
citizen status.
    But we are committed to bringing in our nonprofit partners 
and other agencies to make sure we can work with individuals' 
unique needs and help them find the resources and develop a 
path to their recovery.
    Mr. Moylan. Thank you.
    For my final question, I've been hearing from some of my 
constituents that there were a large number of denials for 
FEMA's claims made by Guam residents.
    Can you confirm that this has nothing to do with the 
current funding levels of the agency? By that, also, what are 
the most common causes of denials?
    Ms. Criswell. Yes, it absolutely has nothing to do with the 
current funding levels of the agency. The most common cause--
and typically they're not denials. They're more of a request 
for additional information. Maybe we need some documentation 
about their occupancy, their--the residence where they live, 
paperwork that demonstrates and proves that they either own or 
live in a place. Oftentimes it's just getting that 
documentation.
    We're happy to make sure that we can continue to reach out. 
Again, all individuals have unique circumstances.
    We have started since my time in this position to perform 
what we're calling enhanced applicant services, where we do 
proactive outreach to those that we have asked for more 
information or have been denied, so we can help better 
understand what their unique situation is. I'll make sure that 
my team is doing that in Guam.
    Mr. Moylan. Thank you, Administrator Criswell.
    Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
    Mr. D'Esposito. Thank you. The gentleman's time has 
expired.
    I now recognize a friend from Florida, no stranger to 
emergency management, Mr. Moskowitz.
    Mr. Moskowitz. Mr. Chairman, thank you. Thank you for 
allowing me to waive on to the committee.
    Madam Administrator, thank you for joining us today.
    As the only former emergency management director in 
Congress, I can tell you, I thoroughly appreciate not just what 
you do, but the 20,000-plus people at FEMA do.
    Lord knows, based on all of the events that we have had 
over the last several years, COVID or excluding COVID, the 
burnout rate at FEMA, because it just--it never stops for these 
people. Whether it was people in my EOC or folks that you 
deploy around the country, they're away from their families, 
serving the country, helping communities respond, and then 
helping communities recover.
    So one of the things that--and I've talked to previous 
administrators about this, and you don't have to comment--is 
that I think, Mr. Chairman, it's time actually that the FEMA 
administrator go back to being a Cabinet position.
    I think that it's time that we put back what was there 
before 
9/11 and that the FEMA administrator have a direct report to 
the President of the United States.
    Because, as we've seen, whether it's on the West Coast, on 
the East Coast, in the middle of the country, on the Gulf of 
Mexico, FEMA is busier and busier than ever, and that's going 
to continue.
    So one of the things I want to first talk about is how the 
DRF is running out of money. So I filed a bill with my 
colleagues across the aisle, bicameral, with Senator Scott and 
Senator Rubio, to make sure that we can replenish the DRF, 
because we shouldn't have to wait for the money to run out in 
the middle of hurricane season. We should be proactive.
    One of the things I want to talk about where I think FEMA 
can improve is in temporary housing. I think--and I'd love to 
hear your comments on this, Madam Administrator--I think FEMA 
has struggled for a long time how to run a housing program.
    So I'd love to hear your thoughts on should we be block 
granting that to the States and letting the States run those 
housing programs, similar to block grants that happened with 
citrus or timber in Florida after Hurricane Michael and 
Hurricane Irma.
    Ms. Criswell. Congressman, I think that we see across the 
country that there are housing challenges in our blue sky days, 
and these housing challenges are only exasperated during the 
time of a disaster.
    I think one of the best things that we can do is work with 
our communities where we know that they're going to have these 
challenges and help them with pre-disaster housing plans and 
how we're going to be able to work together as a Federal, 
State, and local government to support these housing 
initiatives.
    I'm happy to say that we currently have an initiative under 
way in partnership with HUD with four States, with New Jersey, 
Louisiana, Montana, and Washington, to do just that, to work 
with these communities and help them build these plans so we 
can implement housing faster.
    I don't disagree, there is a lot of improvement that needs 
to be made within the way that we can help these communities 
get back on their feet and into homes faster.
    I'm very hopeful that this program is going to give us some 
ways forward and some best practices, as we've seen some of the 
creative ways that they have been implementing already to the 
different disasters that we've had over the last couple of 
years.
    Mr. Moskowitz. Yes, and potentially less expensive. I mean, 
look, you work with all 50 State emergency management 
directors. You know their programs. You know who they are. 
There's a question of whether or not FEMA could deploy the 
dollars and let the States run some of those programs, because 
I think some of the States can do it faster.
    I want to talk about COVID really quickly, Mr. Chairman, 
because FEMA really came in and saved the day.
    As someone who ran a COVID operation, ran it for someone 
across the aisle--so we did it on a bipartisan basis, as I was 
the emergency manager for Governor DeSantis--I can tell you 
that FEMA's efforts in both administrations, in the Trump 
administration and in the Biden administration, I mean, without 
FEMA's logistical support of the other agencies, I don't know 
that the Federal response from a logistical standpoint would've 
been as good.
    Because, look, they have the experience in fires and 
tornados and hurricanes. So when we were opening up testing 
sites and vaccine sites, how to run that logistical operation, 
how to get those resources deployed, how to do all that.
    I just want to thank FEMA. I want to thank all the people 
who work at your agency. I always believe people in emergency 
management, quite frankly, are taken for granted, because 
during blue skies no one cares about us. They don't want to 
invest in us. But when gray skies happen and they need us, then 
all of a sudden they expect us to perform.
    That's another thing that I think that the Federal 
Government can do better in. I think it's time that we invest 
more dollars into FEMA on a proactive basis to be working on 
better mitigation programs. It's shown that mitigation dollars 
save us money on the back end.
    So with that, Mr. Chairman, thank you for allowing me to 
waive on to the committee, and I yield back.
    Mr. D'Esposito. Thank you, Mr. Moskowitz. Thank you for 
your service to so many first responders and others.
    I now want to recognize another fellow New Yorker who's had 
boots on the ground with flooding in his district, Mr. Lawler, 
for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Lawler. Thank you, Chairman D'Esposito, for allowing me 
to waive on to committee, and to address you, Administrator, on 
the serious and, unfortunately, timely hearing.
    This past weekend the Hudson Valley was hit with horrific 
flash flooding, homes were destroyed, residents had to be 
evacuated. Unfortunately, one woman lost her life in Orange 
County. Roads and bridges and culverts were washed away, brand-
new businesses destroyed.
    So I spent Monday, all day, touring the damage with local 
and State officials, and it's clear to all of us that the 
recovery effort will take a great deal of time and resources. 
On first glance, we're talking about tens of millions of 
dollars worth of damage across the Hudson Valley, including 
Rockland County, Westchester County, Putnam County, Dutchess 
County, and Orange County.
    Governor Hochul has declared a state of emergency for those 
counties, so the entirety of my Congressional district is part 
of the state of emergency that was declared. However, she has 
not yet asked for a major disaster emergency declaration as far 
as I know. Is that correct?
    Ms. Criswell. Not to my knowledge yet.
    Mr. Lawler. OK. Can you walk me through the process? She 
has declared a state of emergency. What are the next steps to 
get FEMA's aid?
    Ms. Criswell. Great question.
    I spoke with Governor Hochul as they were going through the 
immediate impacts that they were seeing from this flooding 
event. Their first focus is always on, are there any immediate 
life-saving needs that we need to move resources in? 
Fortunately, even though there is the unfortunate loss of life, 
there were no other immediate life-saving needs.
    So the next step is to assess the damage. I committed to 
her that we would have teams out there quickly to begin 
assessing damage. I mean, we also have----
    Mr. Lawler. Are the teams out there now?
    Ms. Criswell. I'd have to get back to you to see if she has 
actually requested them. I don't know.
    Mr. Lawler. OK.
    Ms. Criswell. But we also have started to use geospatial 
imagery. So we're already gathering imagery to expedite our 
assessment process. We're finding that we can get a lot of the 
data that we need to support a request if the Governor asks for 
one through some of this imagery.
    So we'll continue to work with her to understand what the 
damages are.
    Mr. Lawler. What is the dollar threshold that New York 
needs to meet to get the major disaster emergency declaration?
    Ms. Criswell. There definitely is a dollar threshold. I 
don't know it off the top of my head. My team can certainly 
get----
    Mr. Lawler. Is it roughly about $36 million, to your 
knowledge?
    Ms. Criswell. I'm just not--I'm just not sure.
    Mr. Lawler. OK.
    Ms. Criswell. But that's the part that we have to validate. 
We have to validate that it exceeds the capacity of the State 
and local jurisdictions. We will work with her to get all of 
the data that we need to support any requests that she might 
have.
    Mr. Lawler. OK.
    First and foremost, our first responders did a phenomenal 
job. Obviously it's tragic that there was the loss of one life.
    It could've been a lot worse. I was out during--in district 
when the flash floods were coming, and it came on quickly. I 
mean, we're talking 9-plus inches in a very short period of 
time and a lot of damage of which the following day, after the 
rain had stopped, I mean, was still a lot of standing water, 
flowing water. So it was a real impact across the district.
    I would obviously strongly encourage that if the Governor 
has not requested the teams yet that you please follow up with 
her expeditiously so that we can get the teams out there to 
survey all of the damage. My understanding is roughly about $36 
million State-wide. Each county has specific thresholds. 
Rockland County is about $1.5 million; Putnam County is about 
$400,000; Westchester County is over $4 million.
    So certainly from my preliminary view, we have tens of 
millions of dollars worth of damage. We had a municipal town 
hall got flooded. So there is a lot of damage both to municipal 
property as well as personal property, homes, cars, et cetera.
    I would just ask that FEMA move as expeditiously as 
possible when the Governor does make the request, and that 
President Biden approve the major disaster emergency 
declaration once the Governor makes that request, and FEMA do 
everything they can to help all of our residents recover 
quickly.
    Unfortunately, in New York, we've been through this many 
times. We have a lot of rivers, lakes, ocean that certainly 
impacts us any time there's a storm. So anything that you can 
do to expedite this process is greatly appreciated.
    Ms. Criswell. We'll continue to partner with the Governor's 
team.
    Mr. Lawler. Thank you. I yield back.
    Mr. D'Esposito. Thank you. The gentleman's time has 
expired.
    Ms. Criswell, I just ask that if your office and your team 
can keep an open line of communication with Congressman 
Lawler----
    Ms. Criswell. Yes.
    Mr. D'Esposito [continuing]. That would be extremely 
helpful.
    We're going to begin a second round of questioning, so if 
anybody wants to stick around. I recognize myself for 5 
minutes.
    We've recently been made aware of meetings that have been 
taking place at the White House about Federal long-term 
recovery efforts. According to what I have heard, there's a 
desire by some in the White House to consolidate and coordinate 
Federal post-disaster recovery efforts out of the National 
Security Council.
    Although I am open to hearing more about the plan, I am 
skeptical about the approach and have serious concerns about 
how this could be effective.
    Can you confirm that these discussions have been taking 
place?
    Ms. Criswell. Mr. Chairman, recovery is a very complicated 
process, and we are always looking for ways that we can improve 
that process.
    We have been in conversations with the National Security 
Council about ways that the recovery process can be improved. I 
would say that it really relies on two things: the capacity of 
State and local jurisdictions, those that have the longest and 
hardest recoveries are those that have the least capacity, and 
how can we continue to improve that capacity; but also the 
ability of our Federal partners to make sure that they have the 
ability to stay engaged and support these communities 
throughout their process.
    Mr. D'Esposito. OK. Now, are you in favor of taking 
recovery functions from FEMA and giving it to other Federal 
agencies?
    Ms. Criswell. FEMA's core mission is and will always be 
recovery. We were founded on the principles of helping these 
communities' recovery. We've evolved into a response agency, 
and we're really approaching our ability to do resilience more 
than ever.
    I think creating any opportunity to improve recovery is 
something that we have to better understand what the needs and 
the issues are from those that we are helping at the State and 
local level.
    Mr. D'Esposito. I just think that we need to keep an eye on 
creating more Federal layers of bureaucracy. Obviously, many of 
the questions that we've had here today falls into that exact 
situation, and it seems by adding more layers only makes some 
people's jobs more difficult, probably including yours.
    Ms. Criswell. There are lots of layers of bureaucracy at 
times.
    Mr. D'Esposito. So just one last question about this.
    Are you aware of any outreach by the White House or the 
administration to groups such as the National Emergency 
Management Association or the National Governors Association on 
this proposal?
    Ms. Criswell. I do know that during our last National 
Emergency Management Association meeting that was here in the 
Washington, DC, area, we had an opportunity to provide--members 
of the National Security Council--to provide an update. They 
have since followed up with a letter requesting further 
coordination. FEMA's happy to continue to support that level of 
coordination.
    Mr. D'Esposito. Great.
    Just moving on to sort-of grant programs for a second, 
because I know that's important to many of us sitting up here.
    I think one of the focuses that we've had on this 
subcommittee is to make sure that FEMA grant funding makes its 
way to smaller entities. You take a district like mine, and I 
know many of us up here are serviced by either many first 
responder agencies, sometimes volunteer. Sometimes those groups 
don't have the ability or the resources that they need to even 
understand how to apply for such grant funding.
    What is FEMA doing currently to help with outreach, to make 
sure that we can reach those communities, those institutions 
that are smaller?
    I mean, we'll take the New York area, for example. When you 
hear of FEMA funding you hear--and, listen, I'm a proud alum, 
and I've had a great career in the NYPD, but you hear money 
going toward there when there are so many smaller police 
departments, law enforcement agencies, first responder agencies 
that perhaps aren't getting what they need or don't even have--
meet the threshold to get that funding because they haven't 
gotten it before.
    Ms. Criswell. Yes. Our grant programs have done such an 
amazing job of increasing the capacity and the capability and 
the level of preparedness across the Nation. But I do still see 
challenges in making sure that we're building capacity across 
the Nation as our threats are changing post-9/11.
    We are really increasing our level of stakeholder 
engagement and outreach and streamlining the way that our 
communities can apply for this assistance.
    I think a great example is our Nonprofit Security Grant 
Program that goes to those institutions that face this new 
threat of domestic terrorism upon them.
    We did an incredible amount of outreach to let them know 
that these programs were available. We streamlined the process 
for them to apply. We saw significant increase in the number of 
applicants.
    There's still need out there, and we're reaching those 
people that have that need. We're committed to continuing to 
get out into these communities so we can understand where the 
gaps are and build capacity.
    Mr. D'Esposito. Yes. This committee has really tried to 
become a partner in that. I know at the beginning of the 118th 
Congress we did an on-line meeting with all of our colleagues 
to talk about the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, how they 
can push it out to their communities.
    I know in my district and others up here have utilized on-
line presentations to speak to stakeholders and let them 
understand exactly how it is that they could prepare themselves 
and apply for these grant programs.
    But, like Mr. Strong said, you have a lot of different 
people up here from a lot of different backgrounds, whether 
it's the military, whether it's the fire service, whether it's 
law enforcement, whether it's finance and private work. There 
are so many individuals up here that want to reach their 
community.
    Let us be a partner with you, please. I mean that with 
complete sincerity. Let's make sure that those lines of 
communications are open, because it's some of those smaller 
communities, some of the ones that are in need the most that 
really could use the help, and we want to make sure that we 
deliver what we have to them.
    Ms. Criswell. Mr. Chairman, I really appreciate that 
support and that partnership. It takes all of us to make a 
difference.
    Mr. D'Esposito. Let's do it together.
    My time is expired. I now recognize Mr. Carter for 5 
minutes.
    Mr. Carter. Mr. Chairman, thank you.
    I would ask unanimous consent to enter into the record 
these bipartisan reports on climate change, which speak to the 
reality and the risk that exist.
    Mr. D'Esposito. Without objection, Mr. Ranking Member. 
Thank you.
    [The information follows:*]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * The Department of Defense Climate Risk Analysis has been retained 
in committee files and is available at https://media.defense.gov/2021/
Oct/21/2002877353/-1/-1/0/DOD-CLIMATE-RISK-ANALYSIS-FINAL.PDF.

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


    Mr. Carter. Thank you.
    FEMA has increased its staffing since 2017. However, even 
with the increase in staffing, FEMA still has some 6,000 people 
short of its staffing goal of 17,670, which FEMA hopes to 
achieve by 2026.
    Can you speak to how FEMA plans to increase hiring and 
retention to meet the staffing goals? How are you working with 
FEMA to make it more desirable that people will want to come 
and work for the agency?
    Ms. Criswell. Ranking Member Carter, our staff are amazing. 
We are responding to disasters year round in a way that we 
haven't before, and we are asking a lot of them.
    We are really focused on what we can do, first, to retain 
the work force that we have, and that includes rolling out new 
ways to help them map a career progression so they can see 
where they can go and how they can continue to advance.
    Updating our National Response Coordination Center so it 
has more utility for them, so they have the resources and the 
tools to do their jobs better.
    Doing exit interviews, but also stay interviews, to 
understand why people are actually staying at the agency, so we 
can implement those measures and help make an environment that 
people want to stay and continue to work at FEMA.
    I think those are some of the key areas that are really 
going to make a difference.
    As we continue to recruit, we took a hard look recently at 
the shape of our organization and where we can perhaps change 
our shape so we can get more entry level personnel into our 
agency and grow them through the emergency management 
enterprise, and I think that will also make a big difference.
    But, again, the majority of those vacancies really lie 
within our Reservist work force and using the CREW Act as a way 
to have a recruitment tool to go out and get specialized 
individuals that just want to come out and work for a couple of 
weeks or a month.
    I think this is going to be a really powerful tool for us 
to increase the numbers that we have, specialized in certain 
areas that can go into communities and help those communities 
as they start their road to recovery.
    Mr. Carter. Let me add to the chorus of appreciation from 
the Members that's been expressed today for the great work that 
the men and women of FEMA do. We know that it's far better than 
it used to be. We know that there's a lot of work yet to be 
done. But we should always pause and recognize progress.
    So I want to publicly thank you and your team for the 
yeoman's effort in the incredible task that you have at hand as 
we continue to make it better, more accessible, easier for 
people to utilize and have boots on the ground in advance of, 
during, and after the storm to make sure all those needs are 
addressed.
    Finally, contracting questions.
    FEMA has faced long-standing contracting challenges for 
disaster response goods and services. Small and minority-owned 
businesses have the capabilities in almost every disaster to 
rebuild their communities, but they're consistently left out of 
the conversation or considered as a last resort at least.
    By the time the tier system works down from the top tier 
prime to the lowest tier actual worker, there's very little 
opportunity that's left on the bone.
    How are you ensuring that minority-owned businesses and 
other disadvantaged businesses are getting a fair shake at 
being a part of the rebuild with the skill sets that they have 
in their own communities?
    It's painful to watch trucks drive away with surrounding 
license plates knowing that in the very community that's been 
impacted resources are there to provide services.
    Ms. Criswell. I really appreciate that question, and I 
think that there is a lot of area for growth for FEMA in this 
respect.
    One of the conversations that we've had are about creating 
more industry days to help more minority-owned institutions, 
minority-owned businesses come in and understand what the 
requirements are going to be and how to work through the 
process.
    You have my commitment to continue to find ways and 
strategize with you on ways we can bring those types of 
organizations, these small businesses, and really the heartbeat 
of America, to help us accomplish our mission.
    Mr. Carter. Administrator Criswell, we do in LA-O2, in my 
district in Louisiana, we do a series of what we call curbside 
pop-ups where we take government to the people throughout my 
entire State, throughout my entire district, to demonstrate 
that government can come to the people, that government can be 
a part of the solution and not sitting in an ivory tower 
somewhere far away.
    I would love to partner with FEMA to do doing business with 
FEMA, for small businesses to figure out how to access 
resources, how to become a vendor or supplier of goods or 
services to the Agency.
    Equally as important is to have job fairs. I know in 
Louisiana there are a lot of people that would like a good 
Federal job. If there are openings, we'd love to figure out how 
we can help you vet to bring more quality people into the work 
force.
    My time has expired, so I will yield back.
    Mr. D'Esposito. The gentleman's time has expired.
    I now recognize Mr. LaLota from New York for 5 minutes.
    Mr. LaLota. Thank you, Chairman.
    Administrator, I have served in elected and appointed 
positions in village, county, and State government, and I 
personally appreciate that FEMA has been an essential partner 
in providing assistance to local governments and Long Island 
residents in their greatest time of need. I very much 
appreciate what FEMA has done and continues to do for affected 
communities across the United States.
    However, I'm concerned that FEMA might be stretched too 
thin, that effectiveness may wane as their mission sets have 
significantly increased over the past several decades, 
especially during and after the pandemic.
    As you mentioned in your testimony, Administrator, the 
number of declared disasters which FEMA has supported in the 
last 10 years has increased by 191 percent.
    Also in your testimony you stressed how FEMA is positioning 
itself as a resilience agency, which I believe will be 
extremely valuable and important in responding to and preparing 
for disasters in the future.
    Administrator, I know you mentioned in your testimony a few 
programs which bridge the gap between responding to disasters 
and creating resilient communities, and I'd like you to go into 
greater detail on those points.
    How does FEMA plan on balancing becoming a ``resilience 
agency'' while also responding to a number of--record number of 
disasters over the past decades? To that point, are there 
better ways which States and local governments can work with 
FEMA to maximize those resilience objectives?
    Ms. Criswell. That's a really great question, and I 
appreciate the opportunity to talk about what we're doing 
there.
    We are responding to more events, which means the 
recoveries themselves also are more complex. We have to get 
ahead of that curve. We have to start working with communities 
before disasters and blue sky days to better understand what we 
can do to reduce the impact but also build their readiness and 
their resilience.
    Through our resilience part of our organization we're 
taking a place-based approach, where we're bringing in all of 
the services that FEMA has and bringing it to communities that 
we have identified through our own data that have the greatest 
needs, have the greatest capability gaps, to help them start to 
build those resilient programs and plans.
    One example is through our BRIC Program where I directed 
the team to do direct technical assistance. In the first year, 
we only had 8 communities apply. We're going to have over 46 
this year. It's through the outreach that we have done to 
communities that are the most underresourced but the most 
vulnerable to help them develop plans and apply for this pre-
disaster mitigation funding to help them build more resilience.
    We're also in the process of implementing a program called 
Community Disaster Resilience Zones--this is directed by 
Congress--to also give us the opportunity to increase the 
Federal cost share for these communities, but we think it's 
going to be much bigger than that. It's going to give us the 
opportunity to partner with all of our other Federal agencies 
to really focus a whole-of-government approach into some of 
these most vulnerable communities.
    Mr. LaLota. Great. Thanks. Thanks for being with us here 
today. But more importantly, thank you for your work, before, 
during, and after our communities' most trying times.
    Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
    Mr. D'Esposito. The gentleman yields back.
    I now recognize Mr. Goldman from New York for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Goldman. Thank you again, Mr. Chairman.
    I want to briefly address some of the comments that you did 
not have an opportunity to respond to from my distinguished 
colleague from Oklahoma about the impact of climate change on 
natural disasters around the country and around the world.
    You have stated in your opening remarks that in 2010 there 
were 108 declared disasters for FEMA to support, and just 10 
years later that number had tripled to 315, including response 
to the COVID pandemic.
    I just want to give you an opportunity to respond to some 
of the, I think, distorted statements that my colleague made 
about climate change and the impact it's had on FEMA and 
natural disasters.
    Ms. Criswell. Congressman, what I can say is what I've seen 
over the 2 and a little bit, few months, years that I've been 
in this role. We are responding to more events. We're working 
with our communities that are having more impacts and longer 
recoveries, more complex recoveries, from the nature of these 
events.
    We're seeing the dynamics of them change. Hurricanes are 
not just wind events like they used to be; they're significant 
water events with excessive rainfall and storm surge that's 
causing destruction that we didn't see from a hurricane that 
might have hit the same area a decade previously.
    We're seeing atmospherics rivers where you then merge an 
atmospheric river with decades of drought and then wildfires 
that create damages that any of those incidents on their own 
wouldn't have created.
    So we're seeing this convergence of different climate 
events come together and cause damage that we would have never 
anticipated.
    We have to continue to work and model what we think the 
potential impacts are of the convergence of all of these 
different events--what is it going to be in 10 years?--so we 
can put the right measures in place to help communities 
understand their risk, but more importantly, begin to reduce 
the impacts of that risk through mitigation programs.
    Mr. Goldman. Well, and I would note that over the past 
couple weeks we've had several of the hottest days on record 
for Earth. So the notion that our climate is not burning up 
seems very far fetched given the actual data.
    As my colleague Mr. Lawler pointed out, with tremendous 
flash flooding in the Hudson Valley, from 10 inches of rain in 
a very short amount of time to wildfires in Canada, whose 
polluted air drifted down all the way to Washington, DC, and 
made New York City with the worst air quality in the world that 
we had never experienced before.
    So it is quite clear when you look on the ground that this 
is an issue, and I appreciate that you are addressing it.
    I want to turn back to New York City and the migrant crisis 
that we were talking about before.
    The Stafford Act defines an emergency as any occasion or 
instance for which Federal assistance is needed to supplement 
State and local efforts to save lives and to protect property 
and public health and safety.
    It is my view, as a former lawyer, I guess current lawyer, 
that the migrant crisis is a threat to public health and safety 
in New York City and that an emergency declaration--that it 
would qualify for an emergency declaration under the Stafford 
Act, which is different than the major disaster declaration 
that Mr. Lawler was referring to.
    I would like to understand what benefits FEMA could provide 
to New York City if an emergency declaration is declared by the 
administration.
    Ms. Criswell. The way the Stafford Act is implemented and 
the emergency declarations, they are designed to support that 
imminent threat to life-safety and life-sustaining operations.
    When I look at Vermont, Vermont received an emergency 
declaration because they were in active life-saving mode. It 
allows us to move resources in quickly to make sure that there 
is no loss of life.
    As we look at the support that New York continues to 
provide to support migrants, it does not meet that immediate 
and imminent threat to save lives. That is why the Shelter and 
Services Program is suited specifically to support those on-
going needs that these communities have to provide that on-
going shelter.
    Mr. Goldman. I would point out that there are instances in 
the past where emergency declarations have been declared when 
there is not the type of natural disaster that is occurring in 
Vermont, and I would urge you and the Department to review 
those other precedents that I believe would apply.
    I guess the last question--if you'll indulge me, Mr. 
Chairman--is whether you have had any discussions with the 
White House or further up in the Department about New York and 
the possibility of approving an emergency declaration.
    Ms. Criswell. We have not had a request for an emergency 
declaration. I have spoken with Mayor Adams about what his 
needs are, and our conversations with the Department and the 
Secretary have strictly focused around the program that we do 
implement, which is the Shelter and Services Program.
    Mr. Goldman. Well, once again, I'd urge you to continue to 
have those conversations. I do think it can apply, and I think 
that the crisis is very real, and it is very important to get 
the administration's support beyond the Shelter and Services 
Program on a going-forward basis.
    I thank you for your indulgence, Mr. Chairman, and I yield 
back.
    Mr. D'Esposito. The gentleman's time has expired.
    Mr. Ranking Member.
    Mr. Carter. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to also ask unanimous 
consent to enter into the record this letter from the American 
Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, relative to the 
Government employees and work shortage.
    Mr. D'Esposito. Without objection, it will be entered into 
the record.
    [The information follows:]
      Letter Submitted For the Record by Honorable Troy A. Carter
                                     July 13, 2023.
The Honorable Anthony D'Esposito,
Chairman, House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Management 
        and Technology, House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515.
The Honorable Troy Carter,
Ranking Member, House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency 
        Management and Technology, House of Representatives, 
        Washington, DC 20515.
    Dear Subcommittee Chairman D'Esposito, Ranking Member Carter and 
Members of the Subcommittee: On behalf of the American Federation of 
Government Employees, which represents over 750,000 Federal and D.C. 
government employees including employees at the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, I write to provide AFGE's perspectives for the 
``Future of FEMA'' hearing in the House Homeland Security Subcommittee 
on Emergency Management and Technology. To reinforce strong recruitment 
and retention of FEMA employees and ensure the agency can succeed at 
its mission, FEMA must prioritize hiring of full-time employees under 
Title 5 authority. The emergency workforce at FEMA should primarily be 
hired and work under Title 5 authorities so that the public receives 
well-trained, qualified, and accountable emergency workers.
    AFGE National Local 4060 continues to work in collaboration with 
Administrator Criswell on a variety of issues. The FEMA workforce 
serves and protects the American public during national disasters, 
including floods, tornadoes, hurricanes and fires. With the consistent 
nature of national disasters, FEMA employees work significantly longer 
hours and endure taxing workplace conditions. The FEMA workforce is too 
small and therefore the employees who work at FEMA are strained. 
Recruitment and retention could be improved if FEMA prioritized hiring 
more full-time equivalent employees to support the current workforce 
for what has become a non-stop disaster season. An increase in FEMA's 
permanent workforce under Title 5 would improve working conditions for 
all employees. It is essential for Congress to allocate resources for 
more Full-time Equivalent (FTE) positions at FEMA to ensure the agency 
can provide the best possible service to the American public.
    FEMA hires some employees under Title 5 authority and others as 
temporary or term employees. Title 5 authority employees are hired 
after a rigorous and competitive merit-based examination process. FEMA 
employees who are covered under Title 5 are afforded full civil service 
protections. One of the protections includes being represented by a 
union and the ability to raise grievances and concerns about working 
conditions. Employees hired under Title 5 authority can appeal adverse 
actions either through grievance and arbitration procedures in their 
collective bargaining agreements (where applicable) or through access 
to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). The union can support 
them in instances of mistreatment in the workplace to ensure these 
employees can swiftly return to the important work of serving the 
American public and making victims of national disasters whole again.
    Stafford Act employees, on the other hand, are hired for temporary 
or term appointments and make up a significant portion of the FEMA 
workforce. They are employed ``at will'' which means they risk being 
terminated at any time for any reason. They have no due process 
protections if they experience mistreatment at work. In a 2017 study by 
GAO Stafford Act employees were described as ``having poorly defined or 
nonexistent disciplinary processes and no rights of appeal for adverse 
actions.'' ``At will'' workers lack the protection of a union contract 
and the right to appeal adverse actions such suspensions and 
terminations. Stafford Act employees who are harassed, discriminated 
against, or mistreated by a manager, are not able to seek help from the 
union and are often afraid to report incidents of harassment and 
discrimination.
    AFGE recommends that Congress authorize FEMA to hire more full-time 
employees under Title 5 authority to ensure more FEMA employees are 
properly supported by their union, well-trained, and can adequately 
protect the public from national disasters. For questions or more 
information please contact Fiona Kohrman at [email protected].
            Sincerely,
                                          Julie N. Tippens,
                                              Legislative Director.

    Mr. D'Esposito. I want to thank you for being here this 
morning. I mean what I said sincerely. You have a great group. 
We may disagree on many policies, but I think we all agree that 
the focus of emergency management is to be better off today 
than you were the last time that emergency took place. I will 
wholeheartedly agree that, regardless of the political 
affiliation of anyone up here, we all believe in that.
    So please use our subcommittee as a resource. Let us help 
you. Let us be a vehicle to get your information out and to 
really help those that are in need. Whether they're in the big 
cities or the smallest of communities, we all represent 
individuals that need help, want help, and are looking for 
help. So I hope that we can work together in the future.
    The Members of the subcommittee may have some additional 
questions for the witness, and we would ask the witness to 
respond to these in writing.
    Pursuant to Committee Rule VII(D), the hearing record will 
remain held open for 10 days.
    Without objection, this subcommittee stands adjourned.
    [Whereupon, at 11:37 a.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.]

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