Downsizing of FEMA Reform Report Raises Alarm Among Experts

Thu Nov 20 2025 04:05:37 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's reform report, initially drafted at over 160 pages, has been reduced to around 20, sparking concerns over diminished recommendations for disaster preparedness.

A recent draft report outlining significant reforms to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been drastically shortened from over 160 pages to just 20, raising alarms among emergency management experts. The downsizing reflects a growing trend in the current administration to push responsibility for disaster preparedness onto state and local governments. Critics argue that this shift could leave these entities poorly equipped in the face of increasingly severe weather events linked to climate change. The final report is expected to be released on December 12.

A draft of a much-anticipated report on reforms to the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been whittled down in size, with recommendations compiled by a council appointed by the president slashed and amended by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s office. The report “got nuked,” said one former FEMA official. The three people, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the issue with the media, said the report shrunk from over 160 pages to roughly 20. They expressed concern that crucial recommendations about the country’s disaster preparedness won’t make it into the final copy, expected around Dec. 12.

The draft report’s downsizing reflects the current administration’s push to disengage the federal government from disaster management and to shift more responsibility for preparing, responding to, and recovering from climate-related disasters to states, tribes, and territories. Former FEMA officials voiced that cutting original recommendations and adding others will prove this administration's political interference in a professional undertaking, potentially leaving local governments ill-equipped to handle disasters.

Critics of shrinking FEMA emphasize that most state and local governments cannot bear the increasing financial and logistical burdens of rebuilding, especially as climate change intensifies the frequency and severity of such disasters. They assert that FEMA plays a pivotal role in coordinating federal aid and support. However, discussions surrounding reducing FEMA's role have been gaining traction, suggesting a transition toward direct grants for disaster recovery instead of the traditional reimbursement approach.

After thousands of hours of council meetings and community feedback in disaster-impacted areas, experts anticipated that the initial draft would yield significant reforms. The original draft emphasized key principles like reworking public assistance and improving rural resilience. Yet after the December review, members found themselves facing a substantial reduction in content, raising concern regarding omitted mitigation programs and preparedness funding.

With the report's final draft to be released soon, the outcomes could have lasting implications for disaster recovery across the U.S., as expectations grow for Congress to act on many recommended reforms to the 1988 Stafford Act, which sets many of FEMA’s operational responsibilities.