Cameron Hamilton, acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), told lawmakers Wednesday that he does not believe the agency should be eliminated — breaking with musings from the president and a recent declaration from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
“As the senior adviser to the president on disasters and emergency management … I do not believe it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” Hamilton said during a House Appropriations Committee hearing.
However, he said that ultimately the decision is not up to him, but rather Congress and the president.
Hamilton also said he does not believe that federal assistance is going away, but he said the administration is coming up with a new way to categorize disasters.
“We want to find thresholds whereby the states can manage reasonable outcomes and lower level disasters may not incur and push FEMA and federal resources … unless they meet a very very high standard and burden. … We’re not looking at a future without federal assistance,” Hamilton said.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) asked him if this meant the agency was going to categorize disasters as “low,” “medium” and “high” to determine if their funding should come from states or the federal government.
Hamilton responded, “It’s a little more complex than that.”
“What we’re looking at is the idea of when investments are made, what is the overall impact? What’s the state’s actual capability? We’re looking at proposals that even require states to demonstrate what their insurance levels are … so that we can analyze each state and territory on an individual basis and assess their needs,” he added.
DeLauro said she “appreciated” Hamilton’s recommendation not to cut the agency but said that the final power resides with Congress.
“What is being done is unlawful and illegal, and we’re going to continue to push that point to the people of this country what in fact is about to hit them when all of a sudden the rains come down, the fires blossom and the federal government says ‘Well, let’s see what category you’re in.’”
His comments come after President Trump said he would consider “getting rid of FEMA.” Since that time, Noem said she was working on eliminating the agency.
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