By Courtney Rozen
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency would report directly to the U.S. president instead of the Homeland Security secretary, under a bipartisan bill announced in the House of Representatives on Thursday. The bill would also allow FEMA to reimburse states for the cost to shelter emergency personnel after natural disasters.The measure is backed by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves, a Republican from Missouri, and ranking member Rick Larsen, a Democrat from Washington state. The bill adds to the debate over the agency’s future. President Donald Trump has said he wants to shutter FEMA. He tasked a committee of governors, mayors and emergency managers from disaster-prone states to recommend changes by the fall.
(Reporting by Courtney Rozen; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama )
