Senate Committee On Homeland Security FEMA Reform Director: Jessica Fliegelman

Senate Committee On Homeland Security FEMA Reform Director: Jessica Fliegelman

.pdf version: http://www.idia.net/Files/ConferenceCommitteeTopicFiles/62/PDFFile/C07-SHS-FEMAReform.pdf


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Introduction
Established in 1979, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is
responsible for coordinating emergency management for disasters. Initially, disaster
management had been divided among numerous federal agencies; FEMA absorbed those
functions to centralize and improve disaster response efforts. Once the president has
authorized a disaster declaration, FEMA is called upon to work with state and local
officials to respond to the disaster.
The procedures for disaster response were intended to preserve the state’s
jurisdiction in handling emergencies, as state and local authorities are best equipped to
act in times of crisis. As a result, it takes longer for the federal government to be able to
mobilize its resources when the disaster is beyond the capacity of the states. Although
these procedures were intended to preserve the state’s jurisdiction in handling
emergencies, in recent years FEMA has been assuming an increasing role in handling
these disasters. In the 1980s and 1990s, FEMA began assuming an expanded role in the
response to natural disasters and with that, increasingly drew criticism from the media,
the public, and even other branches of the government. FEMA first drew significant
national attention for its inadequate response to Hurricane Andrew which struck Florida
in 1992. Delayed response, late arrival of troops, and shortages of supplies all
contributed to exacerbated damages and increased suffering for the hurricane victims.
Following Hurricane Andrew, Congress discussed possible reforms for the
agency, but the most effective changes were implemented by FEMA itself to better
coordinate disaster management in the future. The next major change came under the
Clinton Administration, in which President Bill Clinton elevated FEMA leadership to
cabinet level status. A change in leadership also improved the effectiveness of FEMA, as
director James Lee Witt helped FEMA operations run more smoothly through the 1990s,
helping the agency garner a reputation of efficiency and expediency. Other significant
adjustments were still in store for FEMA, and in March 2003 the agency became a part of
the newly-minted Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The move was intended to
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further consolidate the various forms of emergency management. As a result of limited
resources and employees, however, FEMA was ultimately unprepared for future
disasters, most notably in its response to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in August
2005. After the hurricane, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and the House
Homeland Security Committee both conducted investigations into FEMA’s handling of
disaster. Findings from both committees revealed extensive waste, fraud, and abuse.
FEMA employees were also criticized, many of whom seemed to be unqualified,
inexperienced political appointees.
The Senate Homeland Security Committee issued a report offering
recommendations for improving FEMA, including keeping the agency within the DHS
but elevating its status within the department. Senators Nancy Collins (R-ME) and Joe
Lieberman (D-CT) introduced legislation based on that recommendation with opposing
legislation introduced by Senators Trent Lott (R-MI) and Hillary Clinton (D-NY) to
restore FEMA to an independent cabinet-level agency. In the House of Representatives,
a similar bipartisan split occurred between those who agreed with Collins and Lieberman
and those supporting Lott and Clinton. Ultimately, Congress agreed to elevate FEMA
within the structure of the DHS. Bipartisan cooperation helped pass the reform proposals
and established a basis for further efforts to improve emergency management for future
natural disasters. Still, questions regarding the reform of FEMA persist.