H.R. 4669: FEMA Act of 2025
Sponsor
Sam Graves
Republican · MO-6
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Sep 3, 2025
Committee approved bill for floor consideration (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 57 - 3.
Disaster survivors could get a simpler FEMA
Why it matters
69 cosponsors are backing a full rewrite of how FEMA works after disaster. H.R. 4669 would pull FEMA into its own Cabinet-level agency and pair that with one application, expanded housing help, faster project reviews, and new public dashboards so you can see more clearly how aid decisions get made.
H.R. 4669 would do two big things at once. First, it would separate FEMA from its current structure and make it an independent, Cabinet-level agency with its own leadership, internal watchdog, transferred staff and functions, and a working capital fund.
Second, it rewrites a large part of the disaster-aid process. The bill creates one application for individual assistance, requires clearer notices and online guides, and expands the housing tools FEMA can use, including emergency home repair, displacement help, rental assistance, non-congregate sheltering, and aid for total loss.
For states, tribes, and local governments, the bill tries to reduce bottlenecks that slow rebuilding. It creates a task force for open disaster backlogs, changes damage-threshold rules for declarations, allows block grants for small disasters, and pushes federal agencies toward a more unified review process.
It also adds more oversight. The bill requires dashboards, reports, and multiple GAO reviews on FEMA's transition, fraud risks, management costs, and other parts of disaster response so Congress and the public can track whether the overhaul is actually working.
The bill text excerpt provided here does not include funding totals, formulas, or broad findings with headline statistics, so the biggest story is the scope of the reorganization and the practical changes to how you apply for help.
What does H.R. 4669 do?
FEMA becomes its own agency
H.R. 4669 would establish FEMA as an independent, Cabinet-level agency with its own Administrator, Deputy Administrator, Inspector General structure, transferred functions, and internal operating fund.
You file one disaster-aid application
The bill requires a universal application for individual assistance, along with improved notices and online guides, so survivors do not have to navigate as many disconnected steps after a disaster.
Housing help expands after a disaster
The bill adds or updates several recovery tools, including emergency home repair, direct assistance, displacement assistance, improved rental aid, non-congregate sheltering, and help for total loss.
Backlogged disasters get a cleanup plan
A new task force would focus on open declared disasters, while other provisions revise damage-threshold rules, incident periods, and information collection to reduce delays in the pipeline.
States and tribes get more flexibility
The bill authorizes block grants for small disasters, changes aspects of tribal eligibility, and pushes a more unified federal review process for recovery projects.
More dashboards, audits, and public tracking
The bill requires new transparency tools and multiple GAO reviews covering FEMA's transition, damage assessments, fraud, insurance use, management costs, and public assistance performance.
Who benefits from H.R. 4669?
Disaster survivors trying to rebuild
If your home is damaged, the bill aims to make aid easier to reach through one application, clearer notices, online guides, home repair help, rental assistance, displacement support, and aid for total loss.
State, local, tribal, and territorial governments
These governments could see faster project movement through block grants for smaller disasters, streamlined reviews, updated damage-threshold rules, and less repetitive information collection.
Veterans hit by disasters
Veterans are one of the few groups named directly in the bill text. H.R. 4669 includes a specific provision to improve disaster assistance for veterans.
Emergency responders and utility-dependent communities
The bill addresses sheltering for emergency response personnel and utility resiliency, which matters when responders need a place to stay and communities need power restored quickly.
Who is affected by H.R. 4669?
FEMA staff and leadership
The agency would have to reorganize under a new independent structure, shift functions and personnel, stand up leadership roles, and operate under added reporting and oversight requirements.
People appealing FEMA decisions
Applicants challenging FEMA rulings could face a revised appeals process under the bill's fairness and accountability provisions.
Federal agencies involved in disaster review
Other agencies would need to coordinate more closely with FEMA under the bill's permitting, information-sharing, and unified review reforms.
Congressional and audit watchdogs
GAO and inspectors would have a larger monitoring role because the bill orders multiple studies, reviews, dashboards, and transition reports.
What Congress Is Saying
H.R. 4669 hasn't been debated on the floor yet.
This section updates when a legislator speaks about it on the floor or in committee.
HR4669 Legislative Journey
House: Vote: 57-3
Sep 3, 2025
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 57 - 3.
House: Committee Action
Sep 2, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
House: Committee Action
Jul 23, 2025
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
About the Sponsor
Sam Graves
Republican, Missouri's 6th congressional district · 25 years in Congress
Committees: Transportation and Infrastructure, Armed Services
View full profile →
Cosponsors (69)
This bill has 69 cosponsors: 27 Democrats, 42 Republicans, reflecting bipartisan support. Cosponsors represent 30 states: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, and 27 more.
Rick Larsen
Democrat · WA
Daniel Webster
Republican · FL
Greg Stanton
Democrat · AZ
David Rouzer
Republican · NC
Mike Ezell
Republican · MS
Chuck Edwards
Republican · NC
Mike Haridopolos
Republican · FL
Mike Thompson
Democrat · CA
Laura Friedman
Democrat · CA
Earl Carter
Republican · GA
Randy Fine
Republican · FL
Tom Cole
Republican · OK
Committee Sponsors
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
18 of 66 committee members cosponsored
Homeland Security Committee
1 of 30 committee members cosponsored
38 Republicans across these committees haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
What laws does H.R. 4669 change?
21 changes
Sections Amended
Section 514 of Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 321c)
striking ``(a) Deputy'' and all that follows through ``The Administrator of the'' and inserting ``The Administrator of the''
Section 514 of table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002
read as follows: ``514
Section 515 of Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 321d) is amended-- (1) in subsection (b) by striking ``Department'' and inserting ``Agency''; and (2) in subsection (c) by striking ``Secretary'' each place it appears and inserting ``Administrator''. (i) Nuclear Incident Response.--Section 517 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 321f)-- (1) by striking ``Department'' each place it appears and inserting ``Agency''; and (2) in subsection (a)-- (A) by striking ``direction of the Secretary'' and inserting ``direction of the Administrator''; and (B) by striking ``control of the Secretary'' and inserting ``control of the Administrator''. (j) Conduct of Certain Public Health-Related Activities.--Section 518 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 321g) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a) by striking ``collaboration with the Secretary'' and inserting ``collaboration with the Administrator''; and (2) in subsection (b) by striking ``with the Secretary'' and inserting ``with the Administrator''. (k) Use of National Private Sector Networks in Emergency Response.--Section 519 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 321h)
striking ``Secretary'' and inserting ``Administrator''
Section 524 of Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 321m) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a) by striking paragraphs (1) through (3) and inserting the following: ``The Administrator shall establish and implement the voluntary private sector preparedness accreditation and certification program in accordance with this section.''; and (2) in subsection (b) by striking ``designated officer'' each place it appears and inserting ``Administrator''. (o) Acceptance of Gifts.--Section 525 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 321n) is amended-- (1) by striking ``Secretary'' each place it appears and inserting ``Administrator''; (2) in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b) by striking ``Department'' and inserting ``Agency''; and (3) in subsection (c)(1) by inserting ``the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and'' after ``submit to''. (p) National Planning and Education.--Section 527 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 321p)
striking ``Secretary'' and inserting ``Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary,''
Section 406 of Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5172)
adding at the end the following: ``(f) Options
Section 203(i) of Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133(i))
inserting ``409,'' after ``408,'' each place it appears
H.R. 4669 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Transportation and Infrastructure
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Emergency Management
- Introduced
- Jul 23, 2025
Committee approved bill for floor consideration (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 57 - 3.
Sep 3, 2025
Official Sources
Official legislative status page for the FEMA Act of 2025, useful for tracking text, actions, and committee progress.
Official FEMA overview of individual disaster assistance, directly relevant to the bill’s universal application and survivor-aid reforms.
Official FEMA page covering mitigation grants and programs tied to the bill’s resilient buildings, hazard reduction, and mitigation application reforms.
Official GAO homepage, relevant because the bill orders multiple GAO reviews on FEMA transition, fraud, damage assessments, and management costs.
Official FEMA disaster declarations page, relevant to the bill’s changes to declaration thresholds, transparency, and public disaster tracking.
Official FEMA page on flood insurance, relevant to duplication-of-benefits and insurance-utilization issues referenced in the bill’s disaster assistance reforms.
H.R. 4669 Common Questions
What does H.R. 4669 do in plain English?
It would make FEMA its own Cabinet-level agency and rewrite parts of disaster aid so you face one application, clearer notices, more housing options, and more public tracking of FEMA decisions.
Has H.R. 4669 passed yet?
Not yet. H.R. 4669 was ordered reported as amended on a 57-3 committee vote. That means it cleared committee, but it still has to pass the House and Senate and be signed.
Would FEMA become a Cabinet-level agency?
Yes. H.R. 4669 would establish FEMA as an independent agency, which would give it Cabinet-level status and its own leadership structure.
Would this bill give you one FEMA application?
Yes. The bill requires a universal application for individual assistance, aimed at reducing the number of separate steps survivors have to navigate after a disaster.
Does H.R. 4669 expand FEMA housing help?
Yes. The bill adds or updates emergency home repair, displacement assistance, rental assistance, non-congregate sheltering, and help for total loss after a disaster.
Can states get block grants for small disasters?
Yes. H.R. 4669 authorizes block grants for small disasters, though the excerpt provided here does not include the final funding formula or caps.
Does the bill change FEMA rules for tribes and veterans?
Yes. It includes a provision on Indian tribal government eligibility and another that directs improved disaster assistance for veterans.
How would H.R. 4669 make FEMA more transparent?
The bill adds dashboards, reports, and GAO reviews so Congress and the public can track individual assistance, public assistance, FEMA's transition, and fraud or management problems.
Based on H.R. 4669 bill text
H.R. 4669 Bill Text
“To authorize and improve the Federal Emergency Management Agency and reform Federal disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, and for other purposes.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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