The Ranking Member of the House Homeland Security Committee, Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-MS), has introduced the FEMA Equity Act (HR 5775). Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) introduced the Senate companion bill (S. 2961). According to the press release, the bill would "address systemic inequities in the Federal government's response to disasters and how it distributes assistance" by doing the following:
- Improving FEMA's data collection systems to better identify inequities within its programs, including barriers to access and disparate outcomes.
- Directing FEMA to design and integrate criteria into all of their programs to increase equity, prioritizing programs that provide long-and short-term support for local governments, individual housing assistance, and mitigation funding to address disasters.
- Authorizing in law FEMA's Equity Enterprise Steering Group and the Equity Advisor to counsel the FEMA Administrator to increase equity across FEMA programs and policies.
- Directing the Government Accountability Office to examine the factors FEMA considers when evaluating requests for a major disaster or emergency declaration.
Click here to see Congressman Thompson's press release.
Click here for the Legislation Fact Sheet
The GAC welcomes feedback on the bill and will formulate a position based on the feedback we receive.
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Thad Huguley
Government Affairs Director
IAEM
Falls Church VA
(615) 870-9316
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