H.R. 4669, the Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act of 2025, proposes the most significant changes to the Federal Emergency Management Agency in decades. The bill was introduced with bipartisan support and addresses FEMA’s structure, mission, and programs. 

Division A: Elevating FEMA and Strengthening Coordination 

Division A of the FEMA Act would make FEMA an independent Cabinet-level agency, clarifying its role as the nation’s lead authority for preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation under an all-hazards approach. 

The bill establishes permanent offices for preparedness, response, recovery, mitigation, resilience, logistics, policy, external affairs, equal rights, and cyber and emerging threats. These are intended to improve coordination across federal, state, and local governments and to provide consistent guidance. 

Regional FEMA administrators would be given greater authority to make funding decisions and work directly with governors, mayors, and emergency managers. This would allow for quicker approvals of projects and stronger engagement in planning and training. 

Division B: Modernizing FEMA Assistance and Building Resilience 

Division B focuses on FEMA’s assistance programs. 

Public Assistance would be streamlined through standardized cost estimates, block grants for small disasters, updated disaster thresholds, expedited funding within 10 days, and simplified closeout and procurement rules. 

Individual Assistance would be updated with a universal application that links all federal aid programs, plain-language notices, an online portal, expanded non-congregate sheltering, faster rental assistance, direct home repair options, and state-managed housing programs. 

Mitigation programs would expand to allow pre-approved projects, higher federal cost shares for communities with stronger building codes, targeted support for small and rural communities, and additional investment in utility resilience and revolving loan funds addressing hazards such as wildfire, drought, seismic, and cyber risks. 

Transparency and accountability provisions would require FEMA to publish real-time dashboards, issue uniform guidance, maintain public appeal databases, and implement risk-based audits with safe-harbor protections. 

Next Steps 

If enacted, H.R. 4669 would restructure FEMA at both the national and regional levels, update disaster assistance programs for individuals and governments, and expand federal investment in mitigation and resilience.