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.
One disaster application, not a bureaucratic maze
Why it matters
FEMA has sat inside the Department of Homeland Security for more than two decades. H.R. 4669 would pull it out and reestablish it as an independent, Cabinet-level agency — and, at the same time, rebuild how disaster aid reaches people, starting with one universal application in place of a string of disconnected steps. It cleared the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on a 57-3 vote and has 69 cosponsors from both parties.
H.R. 4669 does two big things at once. It takes FEMA out of the Department of Homeland Security and reestablishes it as an independent, Cabinet-level agency, and it rewrites large parts of how disaster aid actually reaches people.
On the structure side, the standalone FEMA gets its own Administrator and Deputy Administrator, its own Inspector General, and a working capital fund. Most of its current functions and personnel move with it; a few security-related programs stay behind at DHS.
For survivors, the bill replaces a string of disconnected steps with one universal application for individual assistance. It adds clearer notices and online guides, and widens the ways back into housing: emergency home repair, displacement assistance, improved rental aid, non-congregate sheltering, and help when a home is a total loss.
For states, tribes, and local governments, it goes after the bottlenecks that stall rebuilding. Recipients could take a block grant instead of the standard Public Assistance process for smaller disasters, tap expedited grants to repair damaged facilities, clear debris faster, and move through a single unified federal review. The bill also revises the damage thresholds that trigger a disaster declaration.
Mitigation gets reworked too — preapproved project plans, formula-based pre-disaster grants, and the ability to combine mitigation money across federal programs. On top of that, the bill layers oversight: individual and public assistance dashboards, declaration transparency, and a stack of GAO reviews covering the transition, fraud risk, and management costs.
H.R. 4669 Bill Summary
What H.R. 4669 actually does.
FEMA leaves Homeland Security
H.R. 4669 reestablishes FEMA as an independent, Cabinet-level agency with its own Administrator, Deputy Administrator, Inspector General, and working capital fund, and transfers most of its current functions and personnel out of the Department of Homeland Security.
One application for disaster aid
The bill creates a universal application for individual assistance, plus clearer notices and online guides, so survivors aren't navigating several disconnected processes after a disaster.
More ways to get back into housing
It expands the recovery tools FEMA can use: emergency home repair, direct (non-financial) assistance, displacement assistance, improved rental aid, non-congregate sheltering, and help for a total loss.
Smaller disasters get faster money
Recipients can choose a block grant instead of the standard Public Assistance process for smaller disasters, with new expedited grants to repair or replace damaged facilities and faster debris removal.
Mitigation money before the next disaster
The bill sets up preapproved project mitigation plans, shifts pre-disaster mitigation to noncompetitive formula grants, and lets recipients combine mitigation funds from multiple federal programs.
Public dashboards and audits
It requires individual and public assistance dashboards, transparency for disaster declarations, and multiple GAO reviews covering the FEMA transition, damage assessments, fraud, insurance use, and management costs.
Who benefits from H.R. 4669?
Disaster survivors trying to rebuild
If your home is damaged, the bill is built to make aid easier to reach — one application, clearer notices, online guides, emergency home repair, rental and displacement help, and assistance when the home is a total loss.
State, local, tribal, and territorial governments
These governments could move rebuilding projects faster through block grants for smaller disasters, expedited repair funding, streamlined reviews, and revised damage-threshold rules.
Veterans hit by disasters
Veterans are named directly in the bill, which includes a dedicated provision to improve disaster assistance for veterans.
Emergency responders and utility-dependent communities
The bill addresses sheltering for emergency response personnel and utility resiliency — the difference between responders having a place to stay and communities getting power back quickly.
Who is affected by H.R. 4669?
FEMA's workforce and leadership
The agency would reorganize under a new independent structure, shift functions and personnel, stand up new leadership offices, and operate under added reporting requirements; the bill includes a separate provision on disaster workforce retention.
The Department of Homeland Security
Most of FEMA's functions and authorities would transfer out of DHS, with a handful of security-related programs remaining behind.
People appealing FEMA decisions
Applicants challenging FEMA rulings would move through a revised appeals process under the bill's fairness and accountability provisions.
Other federal agencies and auditors
Agencies involved in disaster review would coordinate more closely under unified-review and information-sharing rules, and GAO would take on a larger monitoring role across multiple ordered studies.
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 31 committee members cosponsored
39 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 — text, actions, committee referrals, and the full cosponsor list.
The complete statutory text of the bill, including every Public Assistance, Individual Assistance, and mitigation reform section.
Nonpartisan Congressional Research Service analysis of exactly this bill — what it changes and how the standalone FEMA would be structured.
The disaster-relief statute the bill amends across Public Assistance, Individual Assistance, and hazard mitigation.
The existing federal one-stop application for individual disaster aid — directly relevant to the bill’s universal application reform.
FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program, relevant to the bill’s duplication-of-benefits and insurance-utilization provisions.
GAO’s review of the fragmented federal disaster-recovery system this bill restructures; the bill also orders multiple new GAO reviews.
H.R. 4669 Common Questions
What does H.R. 4669 actually do?
It pulls FEMA out of the Department of Homeland Security and makes it an independent Cabinet-level agency, while rewriting disaster aid so survivors face one application, more housing options, and public dashboards tracking FEMA decisions.
Why would FEMA leave the Department of Homeland Security?
H.R. 4669 reestablishes FEMA as an independent agency with its own Administrator and Inspector General. Sponsors argue a standalone, Cabinet-level FEMA can respond to disasters faster than one buried inside DHS.
Has H.R. 4669 passed yet?
Not yet. It was ordered reported as amended on a 57-3 vote in the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. It still needs the full House, the Homeland Security Committee (which also has jurisdiction), the Senate, and the President's signature.
Would I still file separate FEMA applications?
No. The bill creates one universal application for individual assistance, plus clearer notices and online guides, so you aren't piecing together several disconnected processes while you're trying to recover.
What new housing help would disaster survivors get?
The bill adds or expands emergency home repair, direct assistance, displacement assistance, improved rental aid, non-congregate sheltering, and help when a home is a total loss.
What changes for state and local governments?
For smaller disasters, recipients could take a block grant instead of the standard Public Assistance process. The bill also adds expedited grants to repair damaged facilities and pushes a faster, unified federal review.
Does the bill do anything specific for veterans or tribes?
Yes. It includes a dedicated provision to improve disaster assistance for veterans and a separate change to Indian tribal government eligibility for disaster aid.
How would I see where my FEMA aid stands?
The bill requires individual and public assistance dashboards and transparency for disaster declarations, plus multiple GAO reviews of the FEMA transition, fraud risk, and management costs so progress is trackable.
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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