Council To Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Executive Order 14180 establishes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Review Council to conduct a comprehensive, independent assessment of FEMA’s ability to respond to disasters and to advise the President on improvements or structural changes to better serve national interests. The Council is meant to evaluate FEMA’s effectiveness, compare federal responses to State/local/private-sector responses, examine historic and structural roles of FEMA within the federal system, and consider whether FEMA should function more as a supplemental support agency rather than supplanting state control. The order emphasizes gathering broad input from stakeholders, publishing a detailed report with specific analyses, and delivering recommendations within a defined timeframe. The Council is a temporary, advisory body chaired by top DHS and DOD officials, with up to 20 members including non-federal experts and representatives from outside the federal government. It has a tight 1-year lifespan unless the President extends it, and it operates with support from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and established federal procedures. The order also signals concerns about political bias and resource allocation within FEMA and directs that the Council’s work be conducted consistent with law, without creating any enforceable rights.
Key Points
- 1Establishment and purpose: Creates the Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council to conduct a full-scale, independent review of FEMA’s effectiveness, priorities, and competence, and to recommend improvements or structural changes to serve the national interest and national resilience.
- 2Composition and leadership: The Council shall have up to 20 members, including the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Defense as members, with other heads of agencies and non-federal members from diverse disaster-relief and budgeting expertise. The Secretaries of Homeland Security and Defense serve as Co-Chairs, with potential for up to two Vice Chairs drawn from non-federal members.
- 3Functions and deliverables: The Council will advise the President (through specified White House officials and the Director of the OMB) on FEMA’s capability to address disasters and on recommended changes. It will produce a formal report detailing a four-year assessment of FEMA’s response adequacy, comparative analyses with State/local/private sector responses, historical context, the traditional role of States, whether FEMA should function as a supplemental agency, and other reforms, plus an analysis of reform arguments.
- 4Process and timeline: The Council must meet regularly, solicit input from a broad range of stakeholders (including disaster-affected Americans, researchers, private sector, state/local/Tribal governments, etc.), hold its first public meeting within 90 days, and deliver its final report within 180 days after the first public meeting. It may create subcommittees and advisory groups.
- 5Administration and governance: DHS provides funding and administrative support to the Council; members serve without compensation but may receive travel expenses. The Council’s activities are conducted under applicable federal advisory committee rules, with DHS handling reporting to Congress. The order clarifies it does not create new rights.
- 6Termination and scope: The Council terminates one year from the date of the order unless the President extends it. The order emphasizes that implementation should not impair existing authorities of executive departments or budget functions, and it reiterates general provisions about lawfulness and non-creation of enforceable rights.