President Names FEMA Review Council Members: Can You Say, “Stacked Deck?”

On January 24, 2025, the President established the Council to Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency through Executive Order 14180, Council to Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The goal of the FEMA Review Council is to advise the President, through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, on the existing ability of FEMA to capably and impartially address disasters occurring within the United States and shall advise the President on all recommended changes related to FEMA to best serve the national interest.

On April 28th, the President appointed several new members to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Review Council. Appointed Members:

1. Co-Chair: Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem
2. Co-Chair: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
3. Greg Abbott, Governor, State of Texas
4. Phil Bryant, Former Governor, State of Mississippi
5. Jane Castor, Mayor, City of Tampa, Florida
6. Mark Cooper, Former Chief of Staff, Governor John Bel Edwards
7. Rosie Cordero-Stutz, Sheriff, Miami-Dade County
8. Evan Greenberg, CEO, Chubb Limited
9. Kevin Guthrie, Executive Director, Florida Division of Emergency Management
10. W. Nim Kidd, Chief, Texas Division of Emergency Management
11. Michael Whatley, Chairman, Republican National Committee
12. Glenn Youngkin, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia
13. Robert J. Fenton, Jr., Region 9 Administrator and two-time Acting Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency

It’s no secret that FEMA needs reform. From its beginning, it has struggled to streamline a system of disaster assistance that is convoluted and bureaucratic. As we are coming to realize, many of our disaster assistance policies do little to help those most in need. This is the result of a combination of factors, many beyond FEMA’s control. But the agency has evolved and has improved over the years.

Many emergency managers have seen the formation of the Council as a long overdue opportunity to reform FEMA. However, the membership of the Council as recently announced by the President does little to indicate that this assessment will be fair and impartial.
First, let’s consider the obvious issue of political affiliation. Instead of a bipartisan commission, five of the six elected officials on the Council are Republican, as are the two co-chairs. The sole exception is the Mayor of Tampa, Jane Castor. The chairman of the Republican National Committee is also included on the Council, an individual with no role in government or experience in emergency management.

The Council includes a representative of the insurance industry, Evan Greenberg, the CEO of Chubb Limited. While the Chubb PAC has provided roughly equal funding to both parties, in the past four years Mr. Greenberg has personally donated over $22,000 to Republican candidates and only $5,600 to Democratics.
Turning to the three emergency managers on the Council, two are from Republican dominated stakes, Texas and Florida. Both states have already made it clear that they believe that FEMA should be abolished. The Governor of Texas is a member of the Council, which may or may not influence the participation of Mr. Kidd. That being said, both these gentlemen are well qualified, professional emergency managers and their inclusion on the Council is appropriate. This leaves us with the third emergency manager on the Council and the sole representative of FEMA, Robert Fenton. I’ve known Bob since he joined FEMA and have the highest regard for his professional competence and personal integrity. His presence on the Council is a win for emergency management.

So much for the Council. I think the next question is, “Who’s missing?” Aside from the obvious need for bipartisan membership from both parties, there are major gaps. The first is the academic community. Numerous academics have been studying FEMA over the years from a historical and sociological perspective. They create the specialized body of knowledge that provides the basis of emergency management policy and over the years have contributed to both the formation and several reorganizations of FEMA.

Another obvious gap is the absence of past FEMA Administrators who are respected in the emergency management community, such as James Lee Witt or Craig Fugate? Where are those who can speak for local emergency managers? Issues at the state level and in big city disasters often do not reflect what happens at the local level. This is particularly true for tribal governments and communities like Guam or Puerto Rico. What about the many agencies that work with FEMA in a disaster? Shouldn’t VOLAD be part of any assessment of FEMA?

I’m not suggesting that we create an enormous Council, and I recognize that the Council can hold hearings that include testimony for multiple participants. What I am suggesting is that the current makeup of the Council, the ones who will make the final decisions, is clearly biased against FEMA and many have already made up their minds. I have little hope that the result will be a clear and balanced appraisal of an agency that, despite the need for reform, is still one of the best in the world at what is does.