A Few FEMA Updates to End Your Week

Quick post today…lots of activity on the FEMA front that may be of interest:

• The Senate confirmed Senator Markwayne Mullin as the new secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. During his confirmation hearings and under questioning from Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ), Mullin signaled significant changes in his approach to FEMA management compared to his predecessor.

• The Senate cleared the path for most parts of DHS to be funded (excluding ICE), after a protracted shutdown fight. That includes FEMA.

• After a lengthy court battle over the shuttering of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, FEMA followed the court’s order and officially restarted the program…with some notable changes.

• In a surprising move, Missouri Congressman Sam Graves announced that he would not seek reelection. That is notable for FEMA because Graves is the Chair of the House Transportation & Infrastructure committee and the sponsor of the FEMA Act.