Council To Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Record date: 2025-01-31
( printed page 8743) Executive Order 14180 of January 24, 2025 Council To Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1 . Purpose and Policy. The Federal responses to Hurricane Helene and other recent disasters demonstrate the need to drastically improve the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (“FEMA's”) efficacy, priorities, and competence, including evaluating whether FEMA's bureaucracy in disaster response ultimately harms the agency's ability
What this record contains
- Federal Register document
- 2025-02173
- Publication date
- 2025-01-31
- Citation
- 90 FR 8743
- Issuing office
- Executive Office of the President
Official record excerpt
( printed page 8743) Executive Order 14180 of January 24, 2025 Council To Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1 . Purpose and Policy. The Federal responses to Hurricane Helene and other recent disasters demonstrate the need to drastically improve the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (“FEMA's”) efficacy, priorities, and competence, including evaluating whether FEMA's bureaucracy in disaster response ultimately harms the agency's ability to successfully respond. Despite obligating nearly $30 billion in disaster aid each of the past three years, FEMA has managed to leave vulnerable Americans without the resources or support they need when they need it most. There are serious concerns of political bias in FEMA. Indeed, at least one former FEMA responder has stated that FEMA managers directed her to avoid homes of individuals supporting the campaign of Donald J. Trump for President. And it has lost mission focus, diverting limited staff and resources to support missions beyond its scope and authority, spending well over a billion dollars to welcome illegal aliens. Americans deserve an immediate, effective, and impartial response to and recovery from disasters. FEMA therefore requires a full-scale review, by individuals highly experienced at effective disaster response and recovery, who shall recommend to the President improvements or structural changes to promote the national interest and enable national resilience. Sec. 2 . Establishment. (a) There is hereby established the Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council (“Council”). (b) The Council shall be composed of not more than 20 members. The Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Defense shall be members of the Council. The remaining members shall include relevant agency heads and distinguished individuals and representatives from sectors outside of the Federal Government appointed by the President. These non-Federal members shall have diverse perspectives and expertise in disaster relief and assistance, emergency preparedness, natural disasters, Federal-State relationships, and budget management. (c) The Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Defense shall serve as Co-Chairs of the Council. The Co-Chairs may designate up to two Vice Chairs of the Council from among the non-Federal members of the Council, to support the Co-Chairs in the leadership and organization of the Council. Sec. 3 . Functions. (a) The Council shall advise the President, through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, on the existing ability of FEMA to capably and impartially address disasters occurring within the United States and shall advise the President on all recommended changes related to FEMA to best serve the national interest. (b) The Council shall meet regularly and shall: (i) respond to requests from the President, through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security Affairs, the Director of the Office of Management ( printed page 8744) and Budget, or the Co-Chairs for information, analysis, evaluation, or advice; (ii) solicit information and ideas from a broad range of stakeholders, including Americans affected by natural disasters; the research community; the private sector; State, local, and Tribal governments; foundations; and nonprofit organizations; (c) The Council shall produce a report for the President that includes the following: (i) An assessment of the adequacy of FEMA's response to disasters during the previous 4 years, including sufficiency of staffing; (ii) A comparison of the FEMA responses with State, local, and private sector responses—including timeliness of response, supplies provided, efficacy, and services (including communications and electricity) provided—during the same period; (iii) An account of the commentary and debate about the role and operation of FEMA in our Federal system and about the functioning of disaster relief, assistance, and preparedness in the United States; (iv) The historical background of other periods in the Nation's history both before FEMA was part of DHS and before FEMA existed and methods by which disaster aid and relief were then provided; (v) The traditional role of States and their coordination with the Federal Government in securing the life, liberty, and property of their citizens in preparation for,
The excerpt is reproduced from the public federal record and may omit later sections, tables, signatures or attachments. Open the official source for the complete text.
Questions for accountability
- What conditions were cited to continue the emergency?
- What powers or sanctions remain active because of this document?
- What later action renewed, narrowed or ended it?
How to use this page
This is a source-record entry, not a truth-rating by itself. It preserves the action, date and original government publication so it can be connected to later claims, implementation records, court decisions, costs and measurable outcomes. Editorial claim reviews on this site use separate finding labels and explain the evidence for those findings.