A bipartisan effort to make the Federal Emergency Management Agency more responsive is stuck in neutral as local governments struggle with recovery efforts.
"County officials coordinated search and rescue, opened shelters, restored critical infrastructure, and worked around the clock to stabilize communities," said Rep. Chuck Edwards R-N.C. "You did that while navigating a federal disaster system that candidly, just isn't working for us."
Edwards represents Western North Carolina, which includes the Asheville area devastated by the effects of Tropical Storm Helene in 2024.
The comments came during a panel discussion hosted by the National Association of Counties on Monday in Washington, D.C.
"The FEMA reforms that we're working towards are designed to make disaster recovery systems more responsive, more flexible and much more accountable to the communities that it is meant to serve," said Edwards.
In addition to the burdens of rebuilding, local governments are also at risk from credit downgrades which can raise the cost of borrowing as they wait on FEMA and insurance companies to approve claims.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has already passed a bill that would reform the way FEMA does business, including removing it from the Department of Homeland Security.
The DHS is currently embroiled in its own budget controversy that could affect FEMA's ability to make good on current
T&I's bill would also allow FEMA to issue grants to areas hit by natural disasters upfront, as opposed to making municipalities pay for repairs themselves and then reimbursing them.
"County leaders deserve a federal partner that understands operational reality," said Edwards.
"You shouldn't have to spend more time documenting a disaster than responding to it and you shouldn't have to wait years for reimbursement while carrying out the financial burden to your local taxpayers."
NACo was an early supporter of the legislation and has been working on getting a companion bill drawn up in the Senate but the White House is also playing a role.
The executive branch established the FEMA Review Council in 2025 to draft its own set of recommendations for fixing the agency.
"There's not a real appetite to actually get a bill introduced at this time, until they see what those recommendations are, and if we need to go back to the drawing board," said Brett Mattson, the legislative director, justice & public safety for NACo.
"We're in a weird limbo state right now as it relates to the Senate, but also the FEMA act writ large."
While the White House and the lawmakers bat the FEMA questions around, counties are bearing the brunt.
Local officials complain about constantly changing personnel and unclear rules along with confusing and overlapping application forms.
"Siloed responses from federal agencies overwhelm state and locals, as well as create a web of complex, duplicate and lethargic efforts to support individuals and communities in an already difficult time," said Russel Strickland, Maryland's Secretary of Emergency Management.
FEMA funding is also in the crosshairs from the Trump administration's effort to shrink federal spending.
"As FEMA looks to transfer responsibilities to the states, don't lose sight of about 75% to 95% of their program is funded by the federal government," said Nick Crossley, the director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, for Hamilton County, Ohio.
"Every system that we use is in some kind of flux or change. The Medicaid system, SNAP, transportation, funds, mental health, just across the board, grants are rescinded, grants are awarded, so it's a huge balancing act."
