[House Hearing, 117 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


              INVESTING IN THE FUTURE: A REVIEW OF THE 
               FISCAL YEAR 2023 BUDGET REQUEST FOR 
               THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

=======================================================================

                                HEARING

                               BEFORE THE

                            SUBCOMMITTEE ON
                        EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
                         RESPONSE, AND RECOVERY

                                 OF THE

                     COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                    ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

                             SECOND SESSION

                               __________

                             JUNE 14, 2022

                               __________

                           Serial No. 117-60

                               __________

       Printed for the use of the Committee on Homeland Security
                                     

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        Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov

                               __________
                               
                    U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE                    
48-678 PDF                 WASHINGTON : 2022                     
          
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                     COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY

               Bennie G. Thompson, Mississippi, Chairman
Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas            John Katko, New York
James R. Langevin, Rhode Island      Michael T. McCaul, Texas
Donald M. Payne, Jr., New Jersey     Clay Higgins, Louisiana
J. Luis Correa, California           Michael Guest, Mississippi
Elissa Slotkin, Michigan             Dan Bishop, North Carolina
Emanuel Cleaver, Missouri            Jefferson Van Drew, New Jersey
Al Green, Texas                      Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Iowa
Yvette D. Clarke, New York           Diana Harshbarger, Tennessee
Eric Swalwell, California            Andrew S. Clyde, Georgia
Dina Titus, Nevada                   Carlos A. Gimenez, Florida
Bonnie Watson Coleman, New Jersey    Jake LaTurner, Kansas
Kathleen M. Rice, New York           Peter Meijer, Michigan
Val Butler Demings, Florida          Kat Cammack, Florida
Nanette Diaz Barragan, California    August Pfluger, Texas
Josh Gottheimer, New Jersey          Andrew R. Garbarino, New York
Elaine G. Luria, Virginia            Vacancy
Tom Malinowski, New Jersey
Ritchie Torres, New York
                       Hope Goins, Staff Director
                 Daniel Kroese, Minority Staff Director
                          Natalie Nixon, Clerk
                                 ------                                

     SUBCOMMITTEE ON EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, AND RECOVERY

                Val Butler Demings, Florida, Chairwoman
Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas            Kat Cammack, Florida, Ranking 
Donald M. Payne, Jr., New Jersey         Member
Al Green, Texas                      Clay Higgins, Louisiana
Bonnie Watson Coleman, New Jersey    Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Iowa
Bennie G. Thompson, Mississippi (ex  Andrew R. Garbarino, New York
    officio)                         John Katko, New York (ex officio)
              Lauren McClain, Subcommittee Staff Director
          Diana Bergwin, Minority Subcommittee Staff Director
                    Aaron Greene, Subcommittee Clerk
                            
                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page

                               Statements

The Honorable Val Butler Demings, a Representative in Congress 
  From the State of Florida, and Chairwoman, Subcommittee on 
  Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery:
  Oral Statement.................................................     1
  Prepared Statement.............................................     3
The Honorable Kat Cammack, a Representative in Congress From the 
  State of Florida, and Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Emergency 
  Preparedness, Response, and Recovery:
  Oral Statement.................................................     4
  Prepared Statement.............................................     6
The Honorable Bennie G. Thompson, a Representative in Congress 
  From the State of Mississippi, and Chairman, Committee on 
  Homeland Security:
  Prepared Statement.............................................     7

                                Witness

Ms. Deanne Criswell, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management 
  Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security:
  Oral Statement.................................................     8
  Prepared Statement.............................................    10

                                Appendix

Questions From Chairman Bennie G. Thompson for Deanne Criswell...    31
Question From Chairwoman Val Demings for Deanne Criswell.........    31
Question From Honorable Andrew Garbarino for Deanne Criswell.....    31

 
   INVESTING IN THE FUTURE: A REVIEW OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 BUDGET 
          REQUEST FOR THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

                              ----------                              


                         Tuesday, June 14, 2022

             U.S. House of Representatives,
                    Committee on Homeland Security,
                   Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, 
                                    Response, and Recovery,
                                                    Washington, DC.
    The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:15 a.m., in 
room 310, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. Val Butler Demings 
[Chairwoman of the subcommittee] presiding.
    Present: Representatives Demings, Jackson Lee, Payne, 
Green, Cammack, Higgins, Watson Coleman, Torres, and Garbarino.
    Chairwoman Demings. The Subcommittee on Emergency 
Preparedness, Response, and Recovery will be in order. Without 
objection, the Chair is authorized to declare the subcommittee 
in recess at any point.
    I would like to say good morning to everyone. I would like 
to start this hearing by thanking you, Administrator Criswell, 
and the FEMA work force for all that you do to fulfill your 
mission of helping people before, during, and after disasters. 
We are here to discuss FEMA's budget request for fiscal year 
2023, management of recent disasters, and preparedness for 
future ones.
    The threat of climate change continues to grow due to 
increasing temperatures. It appears record-breaking weather is 
our new reality. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration has predicted another above-average hurricane 
season. In 2021, there were 58 major disaster declarations. 
This year we have already had 20 major disaster declarations.
    In 2017, Hurricane Irma caused 84 deaths in my home State 
of Florida, and nearly $50 billion in damages for the United 
States. In 2020, Hurricane Sally severely impacted Florida and 
resulted in $7.3 billion in damages across the Florida 
Panhandle and Alabama. In 2022 alone, the Florida Forest 
Service has reported that 37 wildfires have destroyed over 
22,000 acres in the State. This year, FEMA's preparedness 
efforts could very well be impacted by supply chain shortages.
    In Florida, we have real concerns about the critical labor 
and supply chain shortages that are impacting Florida's 
electric cooperatives and municipalities. These issues 
highlight the importance of preparedness for disasters at all 
levels and certainly creates additional challenges for FMEA's 
work force.
    This subcommittee, without a doubt, recognizes the 
overwhelming responsibilities placed on FEMA and have held two 
hearings this year on FEMA's work force. FEMA's work force has 
experienced several challenges related to recruitment, 
retention, and training, for example. I understand the FEMA is 
working to address these challenges and I look forward to 
hearing more today about how the agency is working to help this 
incredible work force thrive.
    Investing in FMEA's work force ensures that they will 
continue to be prepared to tackle crises as they emerge. The 
agency's fiscal year 2023 budget request contains several 
initiatives to help support and strengthen FEMA's work force, 
including $6.4 million for the Incident Management work force.
    FEMA administers preparedness grants to States and locals, 
such as the Urban Areas Security Initiative, UASI, and the 
State Homeland Security Program. These funds assist States and 
local jurisdictions with building and maintaining Homeland 
Security capabilities to prepare for and respond to threats. As 
a former law enforcement executive, I have seen the benefits of 
UASI in Orlando and other jurisdictions. When I was a police 
chief, I relied on the UASI program to help keep my community 
safe.
    Last year, I introduced H.R. 5615, the Homeland Security's 
Capabilities Preservation Act, which recognizes the importance 
of preserving security capabilities achieved with UASI funding 
for communities. I am pleased the legislation passed the House 
in March. I am confident that this subcommittee will continue 
to do our part and push for this legislation to become law.
    As an advocate for the UASI program, I am concerned about 
the agency's budget request for fiscal year 2023, which 
proposes cuts to the Urban Area Security Initiative and the 
State Homeland Security Program. I look forward to our 
conversation today about these vital programs.
    I am pleased, though, to see that the proposed budget 
request includes $360 million for the Nonprofit Security Grant 
Program, which is $110 million above fiscal year 2022 funding. 
The proposed funding increase is especially important in recent 
years because we have seen a spate of threats against 
nonprofits, specifically houses of worship and including 36 
bomb threats to Historically Black Colleges and Universities 
alone.
    This year, we have seen the value of the Nonprofit Security 
Grant Program. For example, Rabbi Cytron-Walker recalled 
training funded by the program helped him and congregants 
escape an armed individual, who was holding them hostage at a 
Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas.
    Furthermore, I am a proud sponsor of Chairman Thompson's 
legislation, H.R. 7668, the Federal Emergency Management 
Advancement of Equity Act, which is a tremendous step in making 
certain that disaster response more adequately meets the needs 
in the most vulnerable areas throughout our Nation.
    I look forward to hearing from you, Administrator Criswell, 
about how the proposed budget helps bolster FEMA's readiness to 
tackle the ever-growing threats and how Congress can continue 
to assist in supporting your mission.
    [The statement of Chairwoman Demings follows:]
                  Statement of Chairwoman Val Demings
                             June 14, 2022
    I would like to start the hearing by thanking you, Administrator 
Criswell, and the FEMA workforce for all that you do to fulfill your 
mission of helping people before, during, and after disasters. In 
recent years, FEMA has faced several challenges, which will only 
continue to grow due to climate change.
    As the threat of climate change continues to grow due to increasing 
temperatures, record-breaking weather is our new reality. The National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted another above-
average hurricane season. In 2021 there were 58 major disaster 
declarations. This year we have already had 20 major disaster 
declarations.
    In Florida, we have experienced multiple extreme weather events 
over the years. In 2017, Hurricane Irma caused 84 deaths in my home 
State of Florida, and nearly $50 billion in damages for the United 
States. In 2020, Hurricane Sally, severely impacted Florida and 
resulted in $7.3 billion in damages across the Florida Panhandle and 
Alabama. In 2022 alone, the Florida Forest Service has reported that 37 
wildfires have destroyed over 22,000 acres in the State. This year, 
FEMA's preparedness efforts must contend with supply chain problems. In 
Florida, we have real concerns about the critical labor and supply 
chain shortages that are impacting affecting Florida's electric 
cooperatives and municipalities. These issues highlight the importance 
of preparedness for disasters at all levels. Disasters impact 
communities on all fronts, but it also impacts our FEMA workforce.
    However, disaster after disaster, FEMA has continuously risen to 
the challenge, but a changing threat landscape will only further add to 
FEMA's already burdened workload. I recognize the overwhelming 
responsibilities placed on FEMA and have held two hearings this year on 
FEMA's workforce. FEMA's workforce has experienced several challenges 
related to recruitment, retention, training, and harassment. I 
understand that FEMA is working to address these challenges and I look 
forward to hearing more today about how the agency is working to help 
this incredible workforce thrive. Investing in FEMA's workforce ensures 
that they will continue to be prepared to tackle crises as they emerge. 
The agency's fiscal year 2023 budget request contains several 
initiatives to help support and strengthen FEMA's workforce, including 
$6.4 million for the Incident Management workforce.
    FEMA administers preparedness grants to States and locals, such as 
the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) and the State Homeland 
Security Program. These funds assist State and local jurisdictions with 
building and maintaining homeland security capabilities to prepare for 
and respond to threats. During my 27-year career in law enforcement and 
now as a Member of Congress, I have seen the benefits of UASI 
particularly in Orlando. When I was a chief of police, I relied on the 
UASI program to help keep my community safe.
    Last year, I introduced, H.R. 5615, the Homeland Security 
Capabilities Preservation Act, which recognizes the importance of 
preserving security capabilities achieved with UASI funding for 
communities. I am pleased that the legislation passed the House in 
March. I will continue to do my part and push for this legislation 
until it becomes law. As an advocate for the UASI program, I am 
concerned about the agency's budget request for fiscal year 2023, which 
proposes cuts to the Urban Area Security Initiative and the State 
Homeland Security Program. I look forward to our conversation today 
about these vital programs.
    I am grateful to see that FEMA's proposed budget, requests $360 
million for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which is $110 million 
above the fiscal year 2022 enacted funding. The proposed funding 
increase is especially important because in recent years, we have seen 
a spate of threats against nonprofits, specifically houses of worship 
and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This year, we have 
seen the value of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. For example, 
Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker recalled training funded by the program to 
help himself and congregants escape an armed individual, who was 
holding them hostage, at Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in 
Colleyville, Texas.
    Additionally, in 2022 alone, there have been at least 36 bomb 
threats to HBCUs. These threats demand a response, and I will continue 
to advocate for resources, such as the Nonprofit Security Grant 
Program, to keep houses of worship and our students safe. As we respond 
to the challenges at hand, we must also recognize that disasters, and 
disaster recovery, do not impact individuals the same way; some 
communities are more vulnerable than others. I commend Administrator 
Criswell and the Biden administration for taking steps to protect those 
who are most vulnerable by integrating equity into initiatives such as 
the 2022-2026 FEMA Strategic Plan, which instills equity as a 
foundation for emergency management as its primary goal.
    Furthermore, I am a proud cosponsor of Chairman Bennie Thompson's 
legislation, H.R. 7668, the Federal Emergency Management Advancement of 
Equity Act, which is a tremendous step in making disaster response 
efforts fairer and more effective. I look forward to hearing from 
Administrator Criswell about how the proposed budget helps bolster FEMA 
and its ability to tackle the ever-growing threats and what Congress 
can do to assist.

    Chairwoman Demings. The Chair now recognizes the Ranking 
Member of the Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery 
Subcommittee, the gentlewoman of Florida, Mrs. Cammack, for her 
opening statement.
    Mrs. Cammack. Well, thank you, Chairwoman Demings, for 
holding this important hearing today. Thank you to 
Administrator Criswell for being here before us.
    As Floridians, of course, I think there is far more that we 
agree on when it comes to this issue than most others. So, I am 
excited for today's hearing.
    As we all know, FEMA's mission is to help people before, 
during, and after disasters. I put an emphasis on before 
because I think collectively when we place an emphasis on 
mitigation, we are better for it in the aftermath.
    With the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season entering its second 
week this mission cannot be understated--overstated. As 
representatives from Florida, I know that the Chairwoman and I 
both agree that our State certainly has seen its fair share of 
natural disasters. During my time as the Ranking Member of this 
subcommittee I have gained a deeper appreciation for the vital 
work that FEMA does and for the men and women that comprise 
FEMA's work force. I have also seen first-hand the incredible 
amount of work that we have ahead of us, but I feel confident 
that we will succeed.
    For example, the suite of preparedness grants administered 
by FEMA provides critical support so that State, local, Tribal, 
and territorial governments have the resources necessary to 
keep our communities safe. Following the horrific attack 
against the Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue in Colleyville, 
Texas, I was pleased to see the increase to the Nonprofit 
Security Grant Program to $360 million for fiscal year 2023.
    Similarly, I was very pleased to see an increase of $10 
million in the fiscal year 2023 request from the fiscal year 
2022 enacted levels for both the Assistance to Firefighters 
Grant Program and the Staffing for Adequate Fire Emergency 
Response, the SAFER Grant Programs. As the wife of a proud--as 
the proud wife of a firefighter I know how important and 
necessary these grants are, not only for our professional and 
career departments, but for our nearly 30,000 volunteer fire 
departments across the United States. Sometimes I feel like 
they are a little bit of our--the redheaded stepchild and they 
don't get near enough attention. So, today I am going to be 
talking about their needs as well and how FEMA can better serve 
our volunteer departments.
    The fiscal year 2023 budget request also includes $312 
million for education, training, and exercises, including $8 
million for FEMA's Emergency Management Institute to expand 
satellite partnerships, develop leadership programs, and 
modernize virtual technology systems, among other items. It is 
important that through EMI and FEMA's other educational 
facilities that we ensure resources and training remain 
accessible to communities across the country, including our 
rural communities.
    I look forward to hearing more from the administrator on 
EMI's requests and additional initiatives that seek to improve 
the invaluable training for our Nation's emergency responders.
    Additionally, while not explicitly laid out in the budget, 
I am encouraged to learn of FEMA's recently-released building 
code strategy which seeks to organize and prioritize FEMA's 
activities to advance the adoption and enforcement of hazard-
resistant building codes and standards for FEMA programs. As we 
learned from the University of Florida professor Dr. David 
Prevatt--Go Gators--who submitted written testimony for our 
last subcommittee hearing, our better building construction can 
narrow the width of the most catastrophic destruction, so that 
homes, while possibly experiencing damage, can remain habitable 
immediately following a disaster. Not only does better building 
construction immensely benefit the disaster survivor, but there 
is potential for significant saving costs--cost savings.
    While much of FEMA's fiscal year 2023 budget seems fairly 
straightforward, I still have major concerns regarding FEMA's 
emergency food and shelter program. The 2023 request includes 
$24 million to provide shelter and other services to families 
and individuals encountered by the Department of Homeland 
Security. Now, although $24 million is less than $150 million 
enacted for fiscal year 2022, it is not an insignificant 
number. At a time when Americans are having to make the choice 
between gas or groceries and those on fixed incomes are seeing 
their rents skyrocket, I have to ask why so much of American 
tax dollars are going to house illegal immigrants.
    I would also like at this time to mention my concerns with 
FEMA's Funeral Assistance Program.
    During a full committee hearing last year I asked you, 
Administrator Criswell, if there were enough safeguards in 
place to ensure that fraud throughout the program would not be 
rampant. During that hearing you assured me that FEMA was 
taking the necessary precautions. However, both the DHS Office 
of Inspector General and the GAO recently released reports 
detailing instances of fraud within the program. That, of 
course, has led to abuse and waste of taxpayer dollars. Given 
that this program has paid out over $2.5 billion with a B, I 
look forward to hearing more on the program today and the steps 
that you and FEMA are taking to ensure that these issues are 
corrected.
    Again, I want to thank you, Administrator Criswell, for 
appearing before us today. I am eager to learn of FEMA's 
priorities for the coming year and how this budget request 
supports our goals. I know that we have sparred a bit over 
these last 16 months over various issues, but I want to assure 
you and my colleagues and Americans that we are here and we 
have to ask the tough questions and conduct the actual 
oversight if we are going to be effective in FEMA's mission.
    As always, thank you to our FEMA work force, our first 
responders, our emergency managers, and community partners at 
every level of government. Your ability to adapt to ever-
changing threats and vulnerabilities ensures that our Nation's 
continued ability to prevent, prepare, and mitigate, respond 
to, and recover from the threats and hazards we face daily.
    With that, Madam Chairwoman, I yield back.
    [The statement of Ranking Member Cammack follows:]
                 Statement of the Honorable Kat Cammack
                             June 14, 2022
    Thank you, Chairwoman Demings, for holding this important hearing, 
and thank you to Administrator Criswell for appearing before us today.
    The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) mission is to help 
people before, during, and after disasters. With the 2022 Atlantic 
Hurricane Season entering its second week, this mission cannot be 
understated. As Representatives from Florida, I know that the 
Chairwoman and I can both agree that our State has certainly seen its 
fair share of natural disasters.
    During my time as the Ranking Member of this subcommittee, I've 
gained a deeper appreciation for the vital work that FEMA does, and for 
the men and women that comprise FEMA's workforce.
    For example, the suite of preparedness grants administered by FEMA 
provides critical support so that State, local, Tribal, and territorial 
governments have the resources necessary to keep our communities safe. 
Following the horrific attack against the Congregation Beth Israel 
Synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, I was pleased to see the increase to 
the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to $360 million in the fiscal year 
2023 budget request. Similarly, I was very pleased to see an increase 
of $10 million in the fiscal year 2023 request from the fiscal year 
2022 enacted levels for both the Assistance to Firefighters grant 
program and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response 
(SAFER) grant program. As the proud wife of a firefighter, I know how 
important and necessary these grants are.
    The fiscal year 2023 budget request also includes $312.1 million 
for Education, Training, and Exercises, including $8 million for FEMA's 
Emergency Management Institute (EMI), to expand satellite partnerships, 
develop leadership programs, and modernize virtual technology systems, 
among other items. It is important that through EMI and FEMA's other 
educational facilities, that we ensure resources and training remain 
accessible to communities across the country, including rural 
communities. I look forward to hearing more from the administrator on 
EMI's request and additional initiatives that seek to improve the 
invaluable training for our Nation's emergency responders.
    Additionally, while not explicitly laid out in the budget, I was 
pleased to learn of FEMA's recently released Building Codes Strategy, 
which seeks to organize and prioritize FEMA activities to advance the 
adoption and enforcement of hazard-resistant building codes and 
standards for FEMA programs. As we learned from University of Florida 
professor, Dr. David Prevatt, who submitted written testimony for our 
last subcommittee hearing, better building construction can narrow the 
width of the most catastrophic destruction, so that homes, while 
possibly experiencing damage, remain habitable immediately after a 
disaster. Not only does better building construction immensely benefit 
the disaster survivor, there is also the potential for significant cost 
savings.
    While much of FEMA's fiscal year 2023 budget request seems fairly 
straightforward, I still have concerns regarding FEMA's Emergency Food 
and Shelter Program. The fiscal year 2023 request includes $24 million 
to provide shelter and other services to families and individuals 
encountered by the Department of Homeland Security. Although $24 
million is less than the $150 million enacted for fiscal year 2022, it 
is not an insignificant number.
    I would also like to take this time to mention my concerns with 
FEMA's Funeral Assistance Program. During a full committee hearing last 
year, I asked you, Administrator Criswell, if there were enough 
safeguards in place to ensure that fraud throughout the program was not 
rampant. During that hearing, you assured me that FEMA was taking the 
necessary precautions. However, both the DHS Office of Inspector 
General (OIG) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently 
released reports detailing instances of fraud within the program, that 
of course, has led to abuse and waste of taxpayer dollars. Given the 
fact that this program has paid out over $2.5 billion, I look forward 
to hearing more on this program today, and the steps that FEMA is 
taking to ensure that these issues are corrected.
    Thank you again to the administrator for appearing before us today, 
I am eager to learn of FEMA's priorities for the coming year and how 
the fiscal year 2023 budget request supports those goals.
    As always, thank you to our FEMA workforce, first responders, 
emergency managers, and community partners at every level of 
government. Your ability to adapt to ever-changing threats and 
vulnerabilities ensures our Nation's continued ability to prevent, 
prepare for, mitigate, respond to, and recover from the threats and 
hazards we face daily.
    With that, I yield back.

    Chairwoman Demings. I want to thank the Ranking Member for 
her opening statement. You know, as I think about the safety 
and security of the people that we represent, I don't believe 
there are any tough questions that we are not prepared for or 
laser-focused on providing the necessary services. So, thank 
you for your opening statement.
    Members are reminded that the committee will operate 
according to the guidelines laid out by the Chairman and 
Ranking Member in their February 3, 2021, colloquy regarding 
remote procedures. Without objection, Members not on the 
subcommittee shall be permitted to sit and question the 
witnesses. Members may also submit statements for the record.
    [The statement of Chairman Thompson follows:]
                Statement of Chairman Bennie G. Thompson
                             June 14, 2022
    Hurricane Season began on June 1, and we have already seen one 
named storm, Alex, in the Atlantic.
    This is just the beginning of what is predicted to be another 
above-average hurricane season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA) predicted up to 21 named Atlantic storms.
    Severe weather is on the rise. We saw more category 4 and 5 
hurricanes from 2017 to 2021--5 years--than in the past 50 years. The 
threat of climate change is real and present.
    In Mississippi, we have seen increasingly dangerous heat waves, and 
scientists project increased drought in the future. In addition to 
extreme heat, last June my district experienced devastating, 100-year 
flooding. There is a lot we can do to mitigate the suffering caused by 
these natural disasters, but it depends in significant part on having a 
ready and able FEMA. Unfortunately, severe weather is not the only 
challenge facing the agency.
    FEMA continues to work on the COVID-19 response and has been called 
on to provide Southwest Border Coordination Support. FEMA also plays an 
important role in advancing public safety, which is imperative given 
that our Nation has already suffered over 230 mass violence events this 
year. Through its Homeland Security Grant Programs, FEMA administers 
critical funding to help protect our communities from violence and 
terrorism. Specifically, the administration's budget proposes $360 
million for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, a $110 million 
increase. This critical program helps nonprofits protect against 
terrorist threats.
    My legislation, the Nonprofit Security Grant Program Improvement 
Act of 2022 (H.R. 6825), authorizes the program at $500 million 
annually through fiscal year 2028. The House passed the bill in May, 
and I encourage my colleagues in the Senate to do the same.
    Last, I look forward to discussing my bill, the FEMA Equity Act, 
with the administrator. This legislation would integrate equity 
throughout FEMA policies and programming. The bill was drafted after 
the State of Mississippi failed to do its part to address devastation 
caused by the June floods.
    Too often those most in need are left behind when disaster strikes. 
My bill aims to change that so every American, regardless of where they 
live, how much money they have, or the color of their skin, gets the 
assistance they need after a disaster strikes. I would also like to 
thank Senator Warren and Chairwoman Demings for their partnership in 
introducing this bill with me.
    At today's hearing, I hope to hear a robust conversation on what it 
looks like to integrate equity into FEMA's policies. On that note, I 
would like to thank Administrator Criswell for coming before the 
committee today. I commend you on the work FEMA is doing to advance 
equity throughout its programming and prepare for future disasters. I 
look forward to hearing from the administrator about the fiscal year 
2023 budget and how Congress can support FEMA in meeting the challenges 
ahead.

    Chairwoman Demings. I welcome our witness, Deanne Criswell, 
the administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 
Ms. Criswell is the 12th administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency and is the first Senate-confirmed woman to 
lead the agency. Prior to her appointment Administrator 
Criswell was the commissioner for the New York Emergency 
Management Department, where she coordinated emergency planning 
and response for all emergencies, including COVID-19.
    Previously, Administrator Criswell worked for FEMA as a 
Federal coordinating officer, where she was the primary Federal 
representative responsible for leading the agency's response 
during declared disasters.
    Without objection, the witness' full statement will be 
inserted in the record.
    I now ask Administrator Criswell to summarize her statement 
for 5 minutes. Good morning.

STATEMENT OF DEANNE CRISWELL, ADMINISTRATOR, FEDERAL EMERGENCY 
    MANAGEMENT AGENCY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

    Ms. Criswell. Good morning, Chairwoman Demings, Ranking 
Member Cammack, and Members of the subcommittee. Thank you very 
much for inviting me here today to talk about our fiscal year 
2023 budget request.
    As you have mentioned in your statements, the field of 
emergency management is at a pivotal moment in its history. 
While our mission itself has not changed, our operating 
environment has. Ten years ago, we managed an average of 108 
disasters a year. Today, as of June 10, we are managing 348. 
This includes the on-going response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
    The changing climate is the biggest crisis facing our 
Nation and makes natural disasters more frequent and more 
destructive. At the same time, structural inequities in our 
society are compounding the impacts of disasters for 
underserved communities. Our budget request for FEMA ensures 
that the agency can meet these challenges and continue to help 
people before, during, and after disasters.
    FEMA aligned its budget request to support the three goals 
in our strategic plan. First, as an agency, we must instill 
equity as a foundation of emergency management. We must 
recognize that disasters affect individuals and communities 
differently. Our strategic plan focuses our entire agency on 
putting people first and reducing barriers to our programs.
    We have already made important changes on how we provide 
assistance. For instance, some homeowners had difficulty 
proving that they own their homes and if their property had 
been handed down through the generations. We expanded the types 
of documentation that we can accept, including receipts for 
major repairs or improvements, court documents, public 
officials' letters, and even applicant self-certification for 
mobile homes and travel trailers as a last resort.
    In addition, we changed the way that we calculate the 
threshold for property losses to qualify for a direct housing 
program. This resulted in more than 2,700 families receiving 
assistance who would not have been considered for direct 
housing in the past. That means over 2,700 families with a roof 
over their head, a bed to sleep in, and a stove to cook with.
    We also know the more our work force resembles the Nation 
we serve, the better that we will serve it. We are adapting our 
recruiting efforts to reach individuals from underrepresented 
communities by partnering with organizations like Historically 
Black Colleges and Universities and other minority-serving 
institutions.
    Second, we must lead the whole community in climate 
resilience. FEMA is not just a response-and-recovery agency. 
One of my highest priorities is hazard mitigation. Congress' 
investment in hazard mitigation has been strong. We have seen 
it most recently through the appropriation of $6.8 billion in 
mitigation funds to FEMA in the Infrastructure Investment and 
Jobs Act in 2021, including funding to establish revolving loan 
funds under the STORM Act. The budget request includes $3.4 
billion for further investments, including the Building 
Resilient Infrastructure in Communities Program, our Hazard 
Mitigation Grant Program, flood maps, and the Federal Flood 
Risk Management Standard. We think innovatively and shift our 
projects to those with community-wide impact. We must eliminate 
the barriers underserved communities face in seeking hazard 
mitigation assistance.
    Third, we must promote and sustain a ready FEMA and a 
prepared Nation. The increased frequency, severity, and 
complexity of disasters has heightened demands on FEMA's work 
force and on the broader emergency management community. FEMA's 
request includes $19.7 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund to 
address current and future disasters.
    To reach this number, FEMA worked shoulder-to-shoulder with 
disaster-impacted States and localities to understand their 
recovery needs from on-going catastrophic disasters, in 
addition to evaluating the historical cost average for non-
catastrophic disasters, the allocation of funds for BRIC, and a 
reserve to ensure FEMA maintains the ability to fund initial 
response operations for new significant events.
    While natural disasters are at the forefront of our 
discussions today, we cannot overlook our threats facing our 
Nation, which FEMA has also charged--has been charged with 
helping to mitigate. Like natural disasters, terrorist attacks 
can occur at any time, anywhere. We saw this earlier this year 
during a hostage standoff at the Congregation Beth Israel 
Synagogue in Colleyville, Texas. I visited the synagogue and 
spoke to the rabbi following the attack, and he related to me, 
as you mentioned, Chairwoman, of the importance of the 
Nonprofit Security Grant Program and how it helped to save 
lives. We are requesting $360 million for this program to 
continue this effort.
    The unrelenting pace of a year-round disaster cycle and 
crises places great demands on our FEMA work force. We must 
look out for the physical, the emotional, and the mental health 
of our work force. Their adaptability, their dedication, and 
willingness to do the hard work is extraordinary. I believe 
that the President's budget request will enable them to 
continue to do their incredible work.
    Thank you for the opportunity to testify today and I look 
forward to your questions.
    [The prepared statement of Ms. Criswell follows:]
                 Prepared Statement of Deanne Criswell
                             June 14, 2022
    Chair Demings, Ranking Member Cammack, and Members of the 
subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today 
to discuss the 2022-2026 FEMA Strategic Plan and the President's fiscal 
year 2023 budget request.
    The field of emergency management is at a pivotal moment in its 
history. There are tremendous changes to the risk landscape facing this 
Nation and to our professional roles. While our mission has not 
changed, our operating environment has. Ten years ago, we managed an 
average of 108 disasters a year. Today, as of June 10, we are managing 
348--including the on-going response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Between 
2015 and 2021 alone, FEMA experienced a 165 percent increase in the 
number of staff who deployed to support disaster operations for more 
than 30 days, and an unprecedented 346 percent increase in the number 
of days FEMA personnel were deployed to disaster operations annually. 
Weather is becoming more extreme, more intense, and more powerful. 
Disasters are no longer falling within certain months of the year. 
Instead, disaster season is year-long.
    The changing climate is the biggest crisis facing our Nation. It 
makes natural disasters more frequent and more destructive, and this 
pattern will continue for the foreseeable future. We have seen this 
recently with the severe winter storms, derechos, hurricanes, and the 
increasing frequency and size of wildfires throughout the Nation. At 
the same time, structural inequities in our society are compounding the 
impacts of disasters for underserved communities. Left unaddressed, 
these challenges pose unacceptable risks to our citizens. These 
disaster events--and so many others--require FEMA to respond more 
frequently and with greater resources than ever before in our history. 
The FEMA fiscal year 2023 budget request ensures the agency can 
continue to meet these challenges and be prepared for the future as it 
helps people before, during, and after disasters.
    FEMA aligned its budget request to support goals outlined in our 
2022-2026 Strategic Plan. These goals are: (1) Instill equity as a 
foundation of emergency management; (2) lead the whole of community in 
climate resilience; and (3) promote and sustain a ready FEMA and a 
prepared Nation. Our budget request reflects our continued intent to 
execute our mission, while effectively and efficiently managing 
resources. It allows us to coordinate response, recovery, mitigation, 
and preparedness missions while maintaining a highly-skilled team of 
employees who are ready and able to respond to on-going and future 
disasters of any kind. Concurrently, it allows us to remain focused on 
our on-going COVID-19 efforts as we transition to the new normal.
         instill equity as a foundation of emergency management
    As an agency, we must instill equity as a foundation of emergency 
management. It is important we recognize disasters affect individuals 
and communities differently. We must commit ourselves to eliminate 
barriers to access and pledge to deliver equitable outcomes for all 
survivors. FEMA meets disaster survivors who just experienced their 
worst day, and we must ensure our policies and programs meet them where 
they are and provide support in an accessible and user-friendly way. 
Systems which create barriers and result in inequitable outcomes serve 
no one, especially in times of crisis. Our Strategic Plan focuses our 
entire agency on putting people first and reducing the barriers to 
individuals and communities accessing our programs.
    We have already made important changes to the way we provide 
assistance. For instance, some homeowners had difficulty proving they 
owned their homes if their property had been handed down from 
generation to generation through the years. We took action by expanding 
the types of ownership documentation we can accept, including documents 
like receipts for major repairs or improvements, court documents, 
public officials' letters, mobile home park letters, and even applicant 
self-certification for mobile homes and travel trailers as a last 
resort. In addition, FEMA has changed the way we calculate the 
threshold for property losses to qualify for our Direct Housing program 
(such as a trailer or mobile home). Our goal is to ensure equitable 
damage evaluations regardless of the amount of damage to the home. 
Changing the calculation of the threshold from a fixed-dollar floor of 
$17,000 to a simpler $12 per square foot, resulted in more than 2,770 
families receiving assistance who would not have been considered for 
direct housing in the past. That means 2,770 families with a roof over 
their head, beds to sleep in, and a stove to cook with. This change 
especially made a difference for survivors with lower-value homes. 
These are a few examples of where our people-first approach has made a 
difference. But we can do more. We will do more.
    We also know, the more our workforce resembles the Nation we serve, 
the better we will be at serving our Nation. Which is why our Strategic 
Plan focuses our recruiting efforts to reach individuals from 
underrepresented communities, including through the Emergency 
Management Institute and partnering with organizations like 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the American 
Indian Higher Education Consortium of Tribal Colleges and Universities 
and other Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs). Our goal is to create 
hiring pipelines from these institutions into the field of emergency 
management, opening new opportunities for underrepresented communities 
who may not see themselves reflected in today's workforce, and as a 
result, may have been dissuaded from joining the emergency management 
profession.
             lead whole-of-community in climate resilience
    FEMA is not just a response and recovery agency. One of my highest 
priorities is to focus equally on hazard mitigation. What we can do to 
prevent a disaster is often as important as what we do after disaster 
strikes. We must recognize our climate crisis and integrate future 
conditions into our planning efforts now. Historically, Congress' 
investment in hazard mitigation has been strong. We have seen this 
through your support of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and 
Communities (BRIC) program in 2018. We've seen it through the 
appropriation of $6.8 billion in funds to FEMA in the Infrastructure 
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in 2021, including funding to establish 
revolving loan funds under the STORM Act. We thank you for your support 
and for working with the Biden-Harris administration to pass this 
legislation.
    We must think innovatively as we approach disaster hazard 
mitigation and shift our projects to those with community-wide impact. 
We must eliminate the barriers underserved communities face when 
seeking hazard mitigation assistance. These investments will only grow 
in importance as climate change continues to alter the landscape of 
risk facing emergency managers across the country. Which is why we made 
resources available, such as new Direct Technical Assistance, for local 
communities to provide support for both project and application-
specific needs, as well as community-wide resilience needs.
    Our fiscal year 2023 budget request includes $3.4 billion to 
support strategies to address climate change through community 
partnerships. This includes further investments in BRIC, our Hazard 
Mitigation Grant Program, flood maps, and the Federal Flood Risk 
Management Standard. Specifically, we are setting aside another $1 
billion of the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) exclusively for the BRIC 
program. This set-aside will help communities build capacity by funding 
hazard mitigation projects such as seismic retrofits, stormwater 
management plans, construction of flood control and floodways, and many 
other projects to reduce risks at the State, local, Tribal, and 
territorial (SLTT) levels. The funding is in addition to the bipartisan 
IIJA's $1 billion over 5 years to implement BRIC. Our fiscal year 2023 
request also includes more than $500 million to update FEMA's inventory 
of maps, including to show future flood risk conditions. Flood risk can 
change over time due to fluctuating weather patterns, new building and 
development, and other factors. FEMA will continue to work with its 
SLTT governmental partners Nation-wide to identify flood risk and 
promote informed planning and development practices to reduce risk.
    According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
since 1980, total costs associated with severe storms and flooding 
estimates are $345 billion and $168 billion, respectively. Climate 
change projections suggest wildfires and storms will likely become more 
frequent and stronger in many regions in the country. The Federal 
Government is taking steps to ensure Federal investments include 
standards of safety against climate hazards, floods, and sea-level rise 
in order to make communities more resilient to flooding. The fiscal 
year 2023 funding allows us to support the Federal Flood Risk 
Management Standard and its climate-informed, science-based activities 
with the purpose of preparing for future flood conditions.
    Additionally, FEMA will implement a National strategy for its 
programs, and provide leadership to an all-of-government initiative to 
advance the adoption of disaster-resistant building codes that will 
strengthen buildings, including against climate-induced disaster 
impacts. This will increase FEMA's ability to provide the information, 
awareness, guidance, tools, and support required at the SLTT levels to 
save lives and reduce losses. A 2019 study by the National Institute of 
Building Sciences found that adopting the latest building codes save 
$11 dollars for every dollar invested.
         promote and sustain a ready fema and a prepared nation
    The increased frequency, severity, and complexity of disasters has 
heightened demands on FEMA's workforce and on the first responder 
community in every State, territory, Tribal nation, county, and city in 
the Nation which comprise the broader emergency management community. 
To rise to this challenge, FEMA must expand its approach to agency 
readiness and to National preparedness.
    FEMA's request includes $19.7 billion for the DRF to address 
current and future disasters. To reach this number, FEMA worked 
shoulder-to-shoulder with disaster-impacted States and localities to 
understand their recovery needs from on-going catastrophic disasters, 
in addition to evaluating the historical cost average for non-
catastrophic disasters; the previously-mentioned allocation for BRIC; 
and a reserve to ensure FEMA maintains the ability to fund initial 
response operations for new significant events.
    Like disasters, terrorist attacks can occur at any time and at any 
place. Tragically, we were reminded of this reality earlier this year 
during a hostage stand-off at the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in 
Colleyville, Texas, demonstrating that threats to the United States no 
longer exist only in major population centers. The risk of terrorism 
exists everywhere in America. As the threats we face evolve, so too 
must the grant programs created to prepare for those threats. Non-
profit organizations require assistance to harden their facilities and 
provide other security enhancements that will mitigate and thwart 
terrorist attacks. I visited the Congregation Beth Israel and spoke to 
the Rabbi at the synagogue following the attack. He relayed to me of 
the importance of this program and how it helped save lives. His 
experience only reinforced our request to Congress for $360 million for 
the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. Thank you for your support of 
this program.
    We must also protect our Nation's networks and infrastructure from 
evolving cybersecurity threats. The bipartisan IIJA law also provided 
$1 billion over 4 years to improve SLTT cybersecurity and critical 
infrastructure. The fiscal year 2023 President's budget includes a 
request for $80 million, which will complement the IIJA funding by 
establishing a competitive grant program, which will be administered by 
FEMA, but leverage the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency 
(CISA) subject-matter expertise. Under the proposed program, funds are 
competitively awarded to owners and operators of critical 
infrastructure based on identified risks and vulnerabilities associated 
with emerging threats or identified gaps within the systems and 
networks of the assets within their control. The funding will bolster 
efforts to prevent cyber attacks and to ensure critical infrastructure 
providers can continue to deliver their vital services to Americans 
uninterrupted.
    In recent years we have seen an uptick in Nation-wide crises which 
do not fall within the statutory definition of a disaster. When the 
Nation faced such events, FEMA was called on to provide incident 
management support for the Federal response such as Operations Allies 
Welcome, the Southwest Border Coordination Center, and the Russia/
Ukraine Domestic Preparedness and Response Unified Coordination Group. 
FEMA has unique expertise in the Federal Government to provide such 
support, but it must be better prepared to respond to similar missions 
and events in the future. We request an additional $1.8 million to 
maintain the Non-Stafford Act Incident Management Assistance Team, a 
program funded in the fiscal year 2022 enactment. This will provide an 
enduring capability to respond to incidents requiring incident 
management support.
    We are also in the process of looking at the architecture of our 
Stafford Act disaster workforce to better meet the challenges of the 
year-long operational tempo which is our new reality. As FEMA's 
incident management and incident support workforce continues to grow, 
we are prioritizing the growth of the support workforce which enables 
them, such as the procurement specialists needed to execute the 
contracts and mission assignments, which allows us to actually mobilize 
assistance; the computer specialists who facilitate data and 
information sharing within FEMA's IT infrastructure; those who ensure 
civil rights are protected in all activities; and the personnel 
necessary to train the workforce, manage operations, and focus on 
employee wellness.
    The last group is so critical. Dealing with an unrelenting pace of 
a year-round cycle of disasters and crisis takes its toll on the FEMA 
team. To be ready for the next disaster, whenever it comes, we must 
look out for the physical, emotional, and mental health of our people. 
We are looking at ways to let our people rest and reset, to take care 
of themselves, and make sure their families are taken care of. We 
cannot do what we do without our people. Their adaptability, 
dedication, and willingness to do the hard work is unquestionable and 
unbelievable.
    Emergency management is at a pivotal moment in history. We are 
witnessing tremendous change in the landscape of risk and in our 
professional roles. While our core mission has not changed, our 
operating environment has. The 2022-2026 FEMA Strategic Plan and fiscal 
year 2023 budget request are consistent with and support the challenges 
we face. I look forward to working with you as we continue to build a 
ready FEMA and more resilient Nation. Thank you for the opportunity to 
testify.

    Chairwoman Demings. I want to thank Administrator Deanne 
Criswell for your testimony. I will remind each Member that he 
or she will have 5 minutes to question the witness. I will now 
recognize myself for questions.
    Administrator, no one knows better than you here today that 
2 weeks ago marked the beginning of hurricane season. You also 
pointed out a decade ago we had roughly 108 disasters. Now we 
are looking at 348 roughly. Things have definitely changed and 
increased.
    When we think about the challenges that we now face is the 
FEMA work force prepared for what is predicted to be an above-
average hurricane season?
    Ms. Criswell. Chairwoman Demings, I do believe that our 
work force is prepared. We have one of the most dedicated work 
forces that I think you can find anywhere in the Federal 
Government and they are committed to our mission of helping 
people before, during, and after disasters.
    While we have seen the increase in the number of disasters, 
our team continues to look at ways that we can staff these 
events and not have an added strain on our members. We are 
taking a look right now at taking a step back at now that we 
have more of this year-long operational tempo instead of the 
peak that we have traditionally seen during hurricane seasons, 
what does the future staffing model need to look like? We are 
doing a deep dive into that analysis so we can better plan and 
appropriate our staff. For year-long responses we continue to 
go forward.
    Chairwoman Demings. One of the top issues that we are 
dealing with certainly here in the United States, but around 
the world, centers around supply chain shortages. How are you 
working with local government and the private sector to employ 
supply chain mitigation efforts in advance of disaster 
striking?
    Ms. Criswell. We are very concerned, as the rest of 
Americans are, on the impacts that the supply chain is having 
across the Nation. But we have built a stockpile of our 
response requirements at our distribution centers across the 
Nation. So, I feel confident that the stockpile of equipment 
and supplies that we have will meet the needs for any disaster 
response that we have going into this hurricane season.
    But through our regional administrators, they are the 
bellybutton that are working with our State and local 
officials, State and local emergency managers to understand 
what their gaps are. It is through those on-going conversations 
that our regional administrators have a better understanding of 
where their needs might be, and then we can be better prepared 
to support them if we need to come in and help after a 
disaster.
    Chairwoman Demings. Have you been able to coordinate with 
the private sector?
    Ms. Criswell. We have a private sector office at FEMA that 
works continuously across the different industries to better 
understand where they are at and what their needs are going to 
be. We have also initiated an analysis of what the potential 
supply chain impacts will be for this hurricane season through 
one of our contracts, and we expect the results of that 
sometime in the next few weeks.
    Chairwoman Demings. Thank you. As a former law enforcement 
professional, I have already indicated the importance of grant 
programs like UASI and how beneficial they are to local and 
State government in terms of preparing for threats of any kind. 
I was certainly disappointed to hear about the cut in funding 
for this particular program knowing that law enforcement is, as 
you well know, on the front line. Could you talk about, based 
on your experience, how you believe local jurisdictions will be 
impacted by the reduced funding?
    Ms. Criswell. There is no doubt that our Homeland Security 
suite of programs that we have has increased the capacity for 
local jurisdictions across this country, whether it is our UASI 
programs or our State Homeland Security Programs or Nonprofit 
Security Grant Programs. As we have seen the capacity in 
primarily our UASI program and our Homeland Security Program 
increase the capabilities across the Nation, we also recognize 
that there is a need to increase capacity in other areas. That 
is one of the reasons that we have asked for the increase in 
our Nonprofit Security Grant Program.
    But to get specifically to your question, I would say one 
of the biggest things that we have also been asking our local 
jurisdictions to spend their UASI money on is cyber 
preparedness. We have an additional grant program that will be 
coming out as we partner with CISA that is focused specifically 
on cyber preparedness. So now we no longer are going to require 
our local jurisdictions to have a maximum or mandatory spend on 
cyber because they will have this additional program. They can 
use that funding for their other capacity-related needs.
    Chairwoman Demings. Thank you, Administrator Criswell. I 
now recognize the Ranking Member, the gentlewoman from Florida, 
for 5 minutes.
    Mrs. Cammack. Thank you, Chairwoman Demings. Thank you 
again, Administrator Criswell.
    Before we get into questions, I know you and I as well as 
our respective teams have chatted at length about outstanding 
project worksheets from previous storms and events. I would 
like to get your commitment to responding with the status of 
it.
    Within 30 days?
    Ms. Criswell. You have my commitment to respond within 30 
days.
    Mrs. Cammack. Thank you so much. So, I alluded to my 
concerns in my opening statement about this administration's 
prioritization of illegals at the border over American 
citizens, particularly as we are facing record inflation. So, 
in fiscal year 2021 there were 1.7 million illegals encountered 
at the Southwest Border. FEMA actually spent $150 million in 
response to this crisis, using $150 million for housing and 
food.
    Now, fast-forward to April of this year, 2022. There were 
234,000 migrant encounters along the Southwest Border, which is 
the highest number of monthly encounters in the last two 
decades. Now, this year's budget request, fiscal year 2023, 
includes $24 million for FEMA's Emergency Food and Shelter 
Program for the purpose of providing shelter and other services 
to families and individuals encountered by the DHS at the 
Southwest Border.
    The President's fiscal year 2023 budget request states 
that, ``Communities are providing food, shelter, 
transportation, COVID-19 testing, and care associated with 
recommended quarantining and isolation of this population, and 
incurring the cost of this relief. The use of hotels and non-
congregant space remains as a prevalent solution and will 
remain for the foreseeable future even if COVID-19 concerns 
decrease.''
    So, I find it very troubling that in the budget request 
specifically mentions increased cost associated with COVID-19 
precautions, yet there are still consideration from the 
administration to lift Title 42, which, of course, as we know, 
is a CDC directive. Do you anticipate additional migrant 
encounters along the Southwest Border? If so, will FEMA be 
requesting additional funds through the Emergency Food and 
Shelter Program to address the crisis at the border?
    Ms. Criswell. Ranking Member Cammack, the Emergency Food 
and Shelter Program has been a great tool to support the 
humanitarian needs at the border. It is a program that is 
funded by FEMA, but run through a board of directors of 
nonprofit organizations. The things that you mentioned, such as 
transportation, shelter, and food, are eligible expenses by 
these nonprofit agencies to be able to fund the needs that they 
are encountering.
    I do not know what the potential increase in the number of 
border encounters is going to be as I am not an immigrant 
agency. But we will work closely with the Secretary and his 
staff as we monitor what the border is needing. If we need to 
make a request, we would certainly consult with the Secretary 
on other options before.
    Mrs. Cammack. Well, and my apologies for interrupting, but 
the Secretary--DHS has been--the agency has stated that Title 
42 being lifted will result in 18,000 encounters a day. Is FEMA 
prepared to handle that volume with a request of $24 million?
    Ms. Criswell. FEMA's role as it relates to the border is 
really a coordinating role. We have staff that are assigned to 
the Southern Border Coordination Center, which is located at 
CBP Headquarters. Our role will continue to be a coordinating 
role and will continues to provide funding to the nonprofit 
agencies through the Emergency Food and Shelter Program.
    Mrs. Cammack. Well, and considering that the Emergency Food 
and Shelter Program has a board that administers these funds, 
it is comprised of several of the charities that actually 
themselves receive funds. So, how do we ensure accountability 
and what oversight role is of this board that is doling out 
millions and millions of dollars of taxpayer funds?
    Ms. Criswell. Yes, it is a great question, Congresswoman. 
We have a couple of mechanisms in place to ensure that the 
funding is being spent appropriately.
    First there are local boards for the charities that look at 
every expenditure to make sure that it is a valid expenditure. 
Our National board also looks at all of the expenditures to 
make sure that they are authorized expenditures.
    Then we conduct through FEMA and one of our contractors an 
annual audit of the program to ensure that we are using the 
funding as the way it was intended.
    Mrs. Cammack. Would you agree that since FEMA is 
administering a program at the border that the border is, in 
fact, a crisis?
    Ms. Criswell. I would say that the work that we are doing 
to help coordinate the migrant crossings is in support of our 
partners at CBP and ICE.
    Mrs. Cammack. I am out of time, but for the record I have a 
list of questions that I will submit if the Chairwoman would be 
so kind. I would appreciate a timely response, Administrator 
Criswell.
    Chairwoman Demings. Without objection, the gentlewoman's 
time has expired. At this time the Chair now recognizes the 
gentlewoman from Texas, Ms. Jackson Lee, for 5 minutes.
    Ms. Jackson Lee, can you hear us? Ms. Jackson Lee, it looks 
like you are on mute. We will come back to her.
    The Chair now recognizes the gentleman from Texas, Mr. 
Green, for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Green. Madam Chair, did you yield to me?
    Chairwoman Demings. Mr. Green?
    Ms. Jackson Lee, can you hear us now?
    Ms. Jackson Lee. Yes, I can.
    Chairwoman Demings. OK, great. You are recognized for 5 
minutes.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. Thank you so very much. From the signing--
thank you, Madam Chair, for this, and the Ranking Member, for 
this very important hearing and your leadership.
    This is an area that I have been engaged in I guess by 
necessity coming from hurricane country. I have been a veteran 
of any number of hurricanes of notoriety, as well-known in 
America from Katrina to a storm called Storm Alicia that 
literally obliterated major research in the Texas Medical 
Center; to Hurricane Ike that drove us to the level of knowing 
that we needed a coastal spine; and, of course, Hurricane 
Harvey that magnified the disaster of what can happen to 
people: Loss of life, loss of property.
    So, I want to first thank the administrator for the 
continued service of her team and the work in particular of 
Region 6 that I have worked with over the many, many years. But 
to emphasize that this organization, I think signed into law in 
1979, has not gotten the importance focus. We thank President 
Biden's administration for recognizing an increased budget for 
FEMA.
    So I want to focus on some of the issues. To the 
Chairwoman, I particularly want to focus on the ailments of the 
Stafford Act. This is law, but it poses a great hindrance when 
the impacted areas of a State have to be totally dependent upon 
a Governor's late recognition that an area should be declared a 
disaster.
    Administrator, what is the time frame which you can stand 
up your operation from the moment of an area being called a 
National disaster?
    Ms. Criswell. Congresswoman Jackson Lee, thank you for the 
question. Our role has really been over the last several years 
to lean forward as we have these notice events. As you in 
Texas, as we are seeing in the Gulf Coast States, along the 
East Coast, when we know that there is a hurricane coming, we 
are going to deploy resources ahead of time, so they can be 
prepositioned to support the State and the local jurisdictions 
as soon as it is safe to do so.
    Once there is a Presidential disaster declaration that 
means that they are already in place for us to be able to go in 
and start providing assistance. But we will also be able to 
provide assistance under our Surge Fund before we get the final 
paperwork, if needed.
    We have also really been working last year with our 
Governors to encourage them to ask for pre-landfall disaster 
declarations. So, if you see a hurricane coming, we want you to 
ask for this pre-landfall emergency declaration, so that way we 
can start moving those resources and then employing them ahead 
of time, something that we are actually encouraging Governors 
to do as we can see these events approaching them.
    So, we don't have hesitation. We can support immediately.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. But you have to wait upon the declaration, 
is that correct?
    Ms. Criswell. We can deploy resource into the area----
    Ms. Jackson Lee. But you cannot----
    Ms. Criswell [continuing]. Without waiting----
    Ms. Jackson Lee [continuing]. Utilize them.
    Ms. Criswell [continuing]. And we can use our Surge Fund to 
employ some resources before a declaration.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. The issue is that the process of assessing 
the declaration by the Governor sometimes holds up local 
communities. I just want to put that on the record. I believe 
that the Stafford Act should be modified to allow local 
communities that are devastated, particularly maybe large urban 
and large rural areas, to be able to activate the resources 
that FEMA has.
    Let me move quickly to the idea of staffing. I heard you 
indicate your faith in your staff, and I certainly have 
confidence in them. But what are the real needs of FEMA? Is 
there a move or should there be a move to ensuring more 
permanent staff to be able to assist in having staff ready for 
these disasters that seem to be year-round? It is not 
necessarily hurricanes, but other forms of natural disasters.
    Ms. Criswell. I would say that the one thing that is going 
to really make a difference in our ability to staff disasters 
right now is a bill that is being looked at in the Senate and 
in Congress. I think Chairwoman Demings, you have been a 
cosponsor of this bill as well as Congressman Katko, and that 
is the CREW Act. That is going to give our reservist work 
force, which is the heartbeat of what we do for disasters. It 
is the majority of our staff that surge in when an incident 
happens to support those local communities.
    What this act will do is give them USERRA protection, so 
reemployment protection, which means it will transform the way 
that we can recruit our reservist work force, bring in 
specialties to come in and support those jurisdictions, even 
give us the opportunity to have more reservists that are right 
in the local community.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. I will submit my other questions for the 
record. I appreciate the administrator. I do want to find out 
about the decrease in the State Homeland Security Grant Program 
that has been proposed and would like to help to ensure those 
funds get reinstated.
    But thank you, Administrator, for your service and thank 
you to the FEMA team. Thank you, Madam Chair, for yielding.
    Chairwoman Demings. The gentlewoman's time has expired. The 
Chair now recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana, Mr. Higgins, 
for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Higgins. Thank you, Madam Chair, and I thank 
Administrator Criswell for being with us today. Ensuring a 
sustainable and effective FEMA budget is critical for the 
Nation, so I appreciate Administrator Criswell making time 
today to visit with the subcommittee.
    I am also appreciative of the open lines of communication 
with Administrator Criswell and her office. I am thankful for 
her candor and her willingness to help. We have spoken on many 
occasions and the administrator and her staff have never failed 
to rise to the challenges that we face together.
    Recovery after a disaster is far from a straightforward 
process. As a Congressman who represents a region that is quite 
accustomed to the impact of powerful hurricanes, I have 
survived many in the course of my life, but 2 years ago there 
was a particularly brutal, devastating storm season for South 
Louisiana. I can personally attest to the frustration many of 
my constituents face after a disaster. I must say for the 
record, Madam Chair, that I am uplifted by the level of 
commitment that my office has received, both officially and 
through direct communications, from Administrator Criswell and 
her office.
    If we intend to ensure that recovery efforts are resilient 
and America's Treasury is wisely spent, then timely 
communication and simplifying the necessary documents and 
procedures between FEMA and the State and local agencies is 
imperative. We must streamline the process.
    That is why I am thankful to see FEMA request $51.1 million 
for grant management modernization practices at the agency and 
$19.7 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund. These investments 
could potentially better serve the communities across the 
country when a disaster strikes.
    Administrator Criswell, regarding the modernization 
endeavor, would you share with us a little bit how that will 
work? How will that better serve communities attempting to 
recover from a disaster?
    Ms. Criswell. Congressman Higgins, we are so reliant right 
now on our IT infrastructure in order to better support 
communities after a disaster. It has been an amazing resource 
as we continue to work to improve the way we are delivering 
services, that we can actually get funding out into the hands 
of survivors so much quicker. That includes then our grant 
modernization process as well. So, when we are talking about 
after a disaster, we have made a lot of improvements, but we 
also need to make sure that the access to the work that we do 
before a disaster through our grant programs is also easier for 
our customers to be able to navigate.
    The funding that we are going to put in to continue to 
modernize our Grant Modernization Program is building on what 
we have already started with our BRIC programs, our Building 
Resilient Infrastructure and Community, and some other hazard 
mitigation programs; move that into even our recovery programs, 
our Recovery Grant Programs, so we can better use the data that 
our customers are giving us at a single instance. So we don't 
continually ask them for the same information over and over.
    I think as we continue this modernization it is just going 
to make it, again, easier. We are moving barriers from our 
customers, so they can access the resources that they are 
eligible for.
    Mr. Higgins. Well, that would be our shared intention, 
would be to simplify and streamline the process.
    I would like to thank you again for taking time last week 
to discuss the issues facing a couple of my parishes, Calcasieu 
and Cameron Parish School Boards, as well as the Lake Charles 
Housing Authority. My office will continue to work closely with 
you and your staff, ma'am.
    I have received your pledge for continue attention to the 
matter. I hope you can support that pledge here today with my 
colleagues.
    Ms. Criswell. Congressman Higgins, I really appreciated the 
phone call that we had last Friday. I do continue to commit to 
working with you, providing you an update next week, as we 
discussed last week, on our progress toward the issues that you 
identified.
    Mr. Higgins. Yes, ma'am. We look forward to working very 
hard together with you and your staff in order to seek final 
resolution and recovery for so many scores of thousands of 
South Louisiana citizens that continue to suffer from the 
brutal storms of 2020.
    Madam Chair, my time has expired and I yield.
    Chairwoman Demings. The gentleman yields back. The Chair 
now recognizes the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Green, for 5 
minutes.
    Mr. Green. Thank you ever so much, Madam Chair. Madam 
Chair, this is an exceedingly important hearing for a 
multiplicity of reasons, especially associated with Houston, 
Texas, so I thank you.
    I would also like to thank the staff. Ordinarily I draft my 
own questions, but the staff has done an outstanding job with a 
couple of questions. I want to commend them. They are capable, 
competent, and qualified, and they always come through for us 
when we ask them to, so thank you, staff.
    Madam Chair, Houston had about a trillion gallons of water. 
It was inundated as a result of Hurricane Harvey. After that we 
sought help with the GLO after the Federal Government sent 
funds to the GLO to disburse and help the people who were the 
victims of Hurricane Harvey.
    Well, as fate would have it, the GLO decided that Houston 
should get zero dollars initially as well as Harris County, 
which is the county Houston is located in. Then there was some 
talk and the GLO decided that, well, Harris County can receive 
some help, but Houston is still receiving zero dollars. The 
monies that would come to Houston, the area that was most 
devastated, which was the epicenter, will eventually go to 
other areas where we have persons who were not harmed by Harvey 
to some extent and maybe some to a very--some extent that is 
much less than those in Houston.
    So, my question to the Chair is--pardon me, to the--let me 
make sure I have got your title right. OK, Ms. Criswell, my 
question to you is how can FEMA help us to ensure that we get 
equity when soliciting these funds? How can you solicit funds 
and disburse funds to FEMA to--excuse me, GLO such that it 
would treat cities like Houston fairly?
    Ms. Criswell. Congressman Green, mitigation is one of my 
top priorities, right? We need to be able to take a lot of the 
efforts that FEMA is doing and work toward what we can do to 
prevent or reduce the impacts that we are seeing from these 
natural disasters. I am aware and appreciate the struggles that 
Harris County and Houston is facing with their increased 
flooding.
    We do have a number of programs. The one that you are 
mentioning is our Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which is a 
post-disaster program and it is administered through the State. 
I mean, it is a passthrough through the State and which would 
mean it would go through GLO in your case.
    But we also have pre-disaster mitigation funding, like our 
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Program and 
our flood mitigation assistance, which you can apply directly 
to FEMA. I would be happy to have my regional office get in 
touch with your staff to talk about ways that we can make sure 
that they are taking advantage of these pre-disaster programs 
as well.
    Mr. Green. I would greatly appreciate it. Can that happen 
rather quickly? Because there are other things that are 
happening with reference to GLO and this can have an impact. 
So, how will we perfect this? Will someone contact my staff 
today? If so, I will give you the proper person to contact.
    Ms. Criswell. Yes. My staff will follow up with your team 
immediately following this hearing and will be able to make 
those connections. I will just, you know, acknowledge that 
hazard mitigation programs are usually complicated programs 
that do take time. So these programs aren't projects that can 
be put in place quickly.
    Mr. Green. I understand. Well, my chief of staff is Niha 
Razi and we would greatly appreciate it if you would make an 
effort to contact her.
    Let me quickly move on, Administrator. My apologies for my 
earlier faux pas. I am sorry about that. But 18 percent of the 
unhoused community in Houston said that they were homeless. 
Homelessness is a real problem. I have worked with people, I am 
a hands-on Congressperson, as the case was made with my 
colleagues, and I have worked with homeless people. I know the 
difficulty they have when we have these natural disasters.
    So, my question to you is simply this, those who are 
experiencing homelessness, what can we do to assure that they 
will get the proper assistance that they merit when we have 
these catastrophes?
    Ms. Criswell. Homelessness is certainly an issue that is 
increasing across our Nation and it is compounded even more for 
those individuals after a natural disaster. Again, I would 
offer the assistance of my regional administrator and our team 
to work with communities to help them with their preparedness 
plans. Individuals are always eligible to request assistance 
and register for assistance through FEMA once a natural 
disaster has been declared by the President. Then they are 
eligible for some resources in our individual assistance 
programs.
    Mr. Green. Well, thank you very much. I look forward to 
hearing from your team. I yield back.
    Chairwoman Demings. The gentleman yields back. The Chair 
now recognizes the gentleman from New York, Mr. Garbarino, for 
5 minutes.
    Mr. Garbarino. Thank you, Madam Chair, and to the Ranking 
Member for holding this hearing. Thank you, administrator, for 
being here.
    Ms. Criswell, I have a few questions. This year I led the 
fiscal year 2023 New York bipartisan delegation letter to the 
Appropriations Committee requesting robust funding for FEMA 
State and local grants to provide much-needed resilience 
funding to mitigate man-made and natural risks. You have talked 
a lot about these grants already today.
    Last month, this subcommittee heard from the Major Cities 
Chiefs Association with concerns that these preparedness grants 
do not appropriately solicit law enforcement input given their 
role in implementing such grants in their respective cities. As 
Congress continues to provide robust funding to FEMA for these 
preparedness grants, how do you plan to ensure that FEMA's 
appropriately soliciting law enforcement input to ensure the 
safety of New Yorkers and all Americans?
    Ms. Criswell. Congressman, our preparedness grants, as I 
mentioned earlier, have been such an instrumental part in 
increasing our capacity across the country, and law enforcement 
is a big piece of that. They are definitely a partner in our 
ability to be able to increase capacity to prevent terrorist 
attacks.
    We do extensive outreach and engagement to include law 
enforcement communities. But I would be happy to get with your 
staff to find out if there is an area that we are missing, so 
we can continue to work on making sure we have al the 
appropriate stakeholders at the table.
    I would also point out, though, this year as well in our 
Urban Area Security Initiative and our Homeland Security grants 
that we actually increased the amount of funding that is to be 
spent on law enforcement. I don't remember the exact percentage 
of the top of my head, but recognizing the importance that our 
law enforcement community places or has--the role they have in 
our ability to be prepared, we have increased that amount of 
funding to be spent on their ability to increase their 
capacity.
    Mr. Garbarino. We appreciate that increase. I think that is 
great. But just maybe the communication between--and that is--I 
am just brining up a problem that the Major Cities Chiefs 
Association brought up to us, that there doesn't seem to be 
communication between FEMA and--or enough communication and law 
enforcement when they are determining these grants.
    So, I appreciate the increase in funding. I think that is 
great. But, you know, and we can facilitate through my office, 
also, if you would like to do that. But just having some more 
communication I think is what they would like to see.
    On a second note, and I know you talked about--a couple of 
people have already asked about the State and local 
Cybersecurity Grant Programs. Last we spoke to CISA they had 
told us that they thought the grant program was going to be up 
and running late spring or early summer. We are now in early 
summer. Can you provide an update on the time line? If you 
already answered this question, I apologize, but what is the 
time line for the roll-out here?
    Ms. Criswell. I don't have the exact time line in front of 
me, Congressman, but I know that we are working closely with 
CISA to develop the Notice of Funding Opportunity. The last 
update I received is that that Notice of Funding Opportunity is 
going to come out sometime this summer. But I will certainly 
follow up with my team and their conversations with CISA, and 
we will get back to your staff.
    Mr. Garbarino. So, I just want to--FEMA is running--or CISA 
is doing the technological part of this, right? FEMA is 
overseeing it? What is FEMA's role in this, in the grant 
program?
    Ms. Criswell. Yes, absolutely. So, FEMA is the fiduciary 
agent. We will administer the grant on behalf of CISA, but they 
set all of the requirements. They are the subject-matter 
experts. They will define the parameters in which individuals 
or organizations can request assistance and then they will 
review the grant applications to make allocation 
determinations.
    Mr. Garbarino. So, and this is a huge issue, it is a huge 
grant program, we are very excited about it. The money needs to 
get out the door because cybersecurity waits for no one.
    So, is FEMA ready today to do what it needs to do? Is it 
just waiting for CISA to finish setting up the program or what 
is the delay? Because, like I said, last we heard it was late 
spring or early summer. You know, we are in early summer.
    Ms. Criswell. Yes, Congressman, I hadn't heard that time 
line, so I don't know specifically what the delay will be. 
Again, we are working really closely with CISA. This is a 
brand-new grant program and we want to make sure that we get 
the requirements right, so we can reach out to those 
organizations that are going to benefit the most from this new 
grant program.
    Mr. Garbarino. So, but your working relationship with CISA 
right now, it is good? There is no hiccups there?
    Ms. Criswell. Not that I am aware of.
    Mr. Garbarino. All right. Thank you, Administrator. My time 
is out, I yield back. Thank you.
    Chairwoman Demings. The gentleman yields back. The Chair 
now recognizes the gentlewoman from New Jersey, Mrs. Watson 
Coleman, for 5 minutes.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you. I want to thank the 
Chairwoman and Ranking Member for holding this hearing. Madam 
Administrator, thank you for the information you are sharing.
    I represent the 12th Congressional District, which includes 
the capital city of that State, and that is Trenton. My 
understanding is that ABC News reported that residents of 
Trenton, New Jersey, are still waiting for assistance from FEMA 
after Hurricane Ida. It has been a long 9 months for those in 
need of assistance and they are still waiting for support.
    Can you speak to why there have been delays in assistance 
to residents in Trenton? Can I have your commitment that you 
will work to resolve this 9-month-long waiting period for FEMA 
assistance?
    Ms. Criswell. Congressman Watson Coleman, I don't have the 
specifics of the institutions that you are talking about. I am 
certainly happy to get with my team after this and get more 
detail from your staff, and then we can get you a more informed 
answer.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. All right. We certainly will follow up 
because this is very urgent and we all know the population that 
is in greatest need. In the city of Trenton there is a 
population that tends to get underserved because of its 
socioeconomic status.
    Madam Administrator, severe weather is becoming our new 
normal in the face of climate change. Heat waves in particular 
cause more death annually in the United States than any other 
severe weather event. FEMA has historically devoted very few 
resources to address extreme heat. Given that last year 80 
percent of Americans experienced a heat wave, last week I 
introduced the Stay Cool Act, H.R. 7949, to study, mitigate, 
and address the impacts of extreme heat.
    What actions, if any, is FEMA taking to address and 
mitigate the growing threat of extreme heat?
    Ms. Criswell. Congresswoman, we are very concerned about 
extreme heat and the heat that we are continuing to see be 
exasperated by climate change. We know that as these heat domes 
continue to rise, the fatalities are going to continue to rise. 
There are more fatalities every year from heat than any other 
natural disaster. We also see secondary fatalities after a 
disaster as a result of the heat.
    We monitor the heat conditions very closely. We work very 
closely with our partners at the National Weather Service and 
coordinate with our regional and State partners to help with 
their preparedness plans. We will continue to work with them 
and to help them better understand what their risk is for heat.
    We actually have a resilience analysis and planning tool 
that helps communities identify their vulnerable populations 
and they can use this information to put better plans in place 
to support those populations if they are going to experience a 
heat emergency.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. All right. Given the fact that we 
kind-of agree that because of climate change we are going to be 
experiencing so much more of this extreme heat, and the fact it 
was just recently predicted there was going to be this heat 
emergency that we are going to experience this summer, is there 
anything specific in terms of resources and time frames that 
FEMA could report to us that it is doing, recognizing that it 
has become a real crisis situation here?
    Ms. Criswell. I think if you are asking about resources in 
the terms of data, we are happy to work through some analysis 
and some data to better understand the increasing threat that 
we are experiencing. We also can work with our local 
communities to help them access information on ready.gov that 
helps them, again, put some plans in place to support these 
heat-related events.
    I think the biggest thing that we as a Nation and an 
emergency management community needs to do is understand the 
threats that we are going to face in the next 5 and 10 years, 
heat is certainly one of them----
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Yes.
    Ms. Criswell [continuing]. And working together now to 
build preparedness plans on how we are going to respond.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you. I have two quick questions. 
I am going to ask them. They are totally different ends of the 
spectrum.
    No. 1 is I am still concerned about the ability to create 
an inclusive, diverse environment in leadership as well as in 
employees. I want to know what FEMA is doing with regard to 
that.
    Last, I want to know are nonprofit clinics that are health 
care-related and that also perform--make available pregnancy 
terminations, are they eligible under the programs that you 
identify?
    Ms. Criswell. Congresswoman, I want to make sure I heard 
you correctly. Did you say pregnancy determinations?
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Terminations. Abortions.
    Ms. Criswell. I am still not understanding the word.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. I want to know if the nonprofit 
organizations that provide health care, in addition they 
provide abortions to people, are they eligible for the grant 
program for safety and security that you mentioned earlier?
    Ms. Criswell. I see what you are saying. So, certain 
nonprofit agencies, organizations are eligible for 
reimbursement after a disaster, and they have to meet certain 
criteria as far as a certified 501(c)(3). We would have to see 
the specifics on each individual organization to see if they 
meet our criteria as defined in the Stafford Act for a 
nonprofit organization.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Well, I am sorry. I was really 
interested in the Nonprofit Security Grant. I don't think that 
they are predicated upon an--a response to a disaster. They are 
kind-of----
    Ms. Criswell. Yes.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. [continuing]. Protective in nature. I 
just wanted to know if these entities were eligible----
    Ms. Criswell. Yes.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. [continuing]. If that is a yes or no.
    Ms. Criswell. They would have to be----
    Chairwoman Demings. The gentlewoman's time has expired, but 
the witness may answer the question.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you, Madam Chair.
    Ms. Criswell. Yes, they would have the same qualification 
requirements to meet--in the Stafford Act on what qualifies as 
a nonprofit organization.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you.
    Chairwoman Demings. Thank you.
    Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you, Madam Chair. I yield back.
    Chairwoman Demings. Thank you. The Chair now recognizes the 
gentleman from New York, Mr. Torres, for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Torres. Thank you, Madam Chair. Administrator Criswell, 
you were the commissioner for emergency management in New York 
and I was a New York City council member----
    Ms. Criswell. Yes.
    Mr. Torres [continuing]. During the peak of the pandemic, 
so I have a few questions about COVID. George Kennan once 
described the First World War as the seminal catastrophe of the 
20th Century. Those words come to mind when I think of COVID-
19, which has become the seminal catastrophe of the 21st 
Century. Nowhere has COVID been more catastrophic than in New 
York, which emerged early on as Ground Zero for the global 
pandemic.
    The health care providers in New York, which were hit the 
earliest and hardest by COVID, have dire concerns about the 
glacial pace of FEMA's reimbursement. Hospitals in New York are 
bleeding and instead of treating it as an emergency, it feels 
to us like FEMA is moving bureaucratically as though it were 
business as usual.
    On February 17, 2022, the whole New York delegation, 
Democrats and Republicans, sent a bipartisan letter calling for 
rapid distribution of FEMA public assistance program funds. How 
much longer must we wait to receive the funds we need to fully 
recover from COVID?
    Ms. Criswell. Congressman, I certainly appreciate your 
question and I remember very clearly and vividly my time 
responding and working with the hospitals in New York City as 
we were trying to get our heads wrapped around what it was 
going to take to combat COVID-19.
    We are working very closely, my regional office, Region 2 
office is working very closely with Health + Hospitals and the 
other hospitals, nonprofit hospitals in the New York City area 
to help advance funding. One of the things that we can do is we 
don't have to wait for the entire project to have all of the 
data, so we can reimburse it in its entirety. We can reimburse 
it apportionately.
    So we have done that with several of the hospitals. If 
there are specific hospitals that are still having difficulty, 
I would be happy to get that specific information, but we are 
working very closely with them. As they have information that 
we can submit, then we would obligate that money for them.
    Mr. Torres. During COVID we saw our health care heroes put 
their lives at risk during the peak of the pandemic so that 
everyone else could safely shelter in place. Many hospitals in 
New York provided our health care heroes with hazard pay, not 
out of preference, but out of necessity for work force 
retention in a moment of crisis. Do you believe as I do that 
hazard pay for our health care heroes was a critical component 
of the response to COVID-19?
    Ms. Criswell. I do believe that we had to use creative 
funding sources to make sure that we were getting the qualified 
staff to come in and support these critical needs in these 
hospitals. I am unfamiliar with an increase in hazard pay as I 
know we were using contract resources, also, from----
    Mr. Torres. But you recognize that hazard pay could be a 
critical tool for sustaining and retaining a work force that is 
in danger of burning out and turning over in a global pandemic?
    Ms. Criswell. I do believe hazard pay could be used as a 
critical tool.
    Mr. Torres. Was, in fact, used, right? It is not 
theoretical.
    Ms. Criswell. Yes.
    Mr. Torres. It was, in fact, used during COVID. FEMA's 
policy is as follows with respect to hazard pay: ``FEMA cannot 
reimburse the hazardous retention bonuses because the applicant 
did not have a pre-disaster labor policy for hazardous duty 
retention bonuses, meaning the justification for paying the 
bonuses was not adequately documented.'' I have two responses.
    First, the justification was adequately documented. It was 
COVID-19.
    Ms. Criswell. Mm-hmm.
    Mr. Torres. But second, expecting applicants to have a 
preexisting policy is nonsensical because the hazard pay was 
itself an emergency response to COVID. Like whether there was a 
preexisting policy should be irrelevant. What should matter is 
whether the hazard pay was necessitated by the response to 
COVID.
    Ms. Criswell. Congressman, I know that we have existing 
policies that talk about--we have policies that talk about 
having preexisting policies at local jurisdictions for 
overtime. I am not familiar specifically with what you are 
talking about in our response to hazard pay. I am certainly 
happy to go take a look at that and see if there is any 
flexibility within our policy to address that.
    Mr. Torres. I hope you can rethink the requirement for a 
pre-disaster policy because we are denying our health care 
heroes the hazard pay they deserve.
    I have a question about Puerto Rico. One would think in the 
21st Century every person and every place in America would have 
reliable electricity, but the reality is different and much 
darker in Puerto Rico, which has seen a never-ending cycle of 
power failures. What role is FEMA going to play in expediting 
the rebuilding of Puerto Rico's electric grid, which is nothing 
short of an emergency?
    Ms. Criswell. Yes, Congressman, we have a large team that 
we have put in place in Puerto Rico, working very closely with 
PREPA and the Puerto Rican government as they are rebuilding 
from Hurricane Maria. We are working hand-in-hand with them as 
they have projects to help them, again, expedite some of the 
payments to get things moving faster, but also working with 
them on these longer-term, complicated projects that just take 
time to finish and complete.
    But I have a large team over there that is working hand-in-
hand and we have continuous engagement the Puerto Rico Governor 
as well as the staff there to ensure that we are meeting their 
needs.
    Mr. Torres. My time has expired.
    Chairwoman Demings. The gentleman's time has expired. 
Administrator Criswell, that concludes our first round of 
questions. We do have time for a second round of questions. 
Members who are interested in participating, please remain in 
the hearing room or turn your cameras on.
    I will recognize myself for 5 minutes.
    Administrator, you said a minute ago that what we need to 
do as a Nation is to really focus on the threats that we will 
face in the next 5 to 10 years. I could not agree with you 
more. We know that climate change is all around us, we focused 
a bit on that, but I am reminded of the unbelievable tornadoes 
in North Florida, the unbelievable flooding in South Florida.
    Please discuss the ways that FEMA is investing in order to 
mitigate activities to prepare for the acute threats brought on 
by climate change.
    Ms. Criswell. Yes. I think the future that FEMA needs to 
play here and the role that we need to play is to really 
emphasize our participation and our expertise in increasing 
individual preparedness, but also reducing the impacts of 
disasters through our mitigation programs. Many individuals see 
FEMA as a response-and-recovery agency. My goal by the end of 
my tenure is to make sure that they also recognize our role in 
being a resilience agency, increasing individual resilience and 
community resilience.
    Our Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities 
Program is our landmark program that is really bring in more 
money than we have ever been able to invest in communities. Our 
focus is to work with communities to help them take a system-
based approach, a community-wide approach instead of an 
incremental approach, so we can have greater impact to protect 
more parts of these communities.
    Chairwoman Demings. You know, in addition to acknowledging 
as a body that climate change is real, how can Congress assist 
you in your efforts or your short-term and long-term plan over 
the next 5 to 10 years?
    Ms. Criswell. Yes. Chairwoman Demings, I always appreciate 
the support that Congress gives us in funding our mitigation 
programs year after year. As we have additional needs, we would 
look forward to working with Congress to make sure that we are 
really being able to build resilient communities across this 
Nation.
    Chairwoman Demings. Thank you so much for that. We have 
already shared a couple of success stories regarding the 
Nonprofit Security Grant Program. But you know what we found 
out is that many organizations, whether they are places of 
worship or colleges and universities, just are not aware, 
communities are not aware of the program in the first place. 
What has FEMA--or what steps has FEMA taken to make sure that 
communities are aware of the Nonprofit Security Grant Programs 
and other similar funding that is available?
    Ms. Criswell. Yes. Chairwoman, a really important question 
because if we have funding available, but nobody knows about 
it, then we are not doing our due diligence and making sure 
that we are increasing resiliency across the Nation. I would 
say we do this in a couple of ways.
    One, we have increased our amount of stakeholder engagement 
and outreach through our resilience programs, through our grant 
programs, through an engagement through our regional 
administrators, but also our Office of Faith-Based and 
Community Services. Right? They have done an extensive amount 
of outreach to help people understand ahead of time that this 
grant program is going to be available and that they can start 
to prepare now for that grant program.
    We have also increased and gave additional points to 
organizations that have never applied before. So, we want to 
give an incentive to nonprofit organizations that have not 
asked for this funding or received this funding, and give them 
additional points so it encourages more organizations to seek 
out this program and apply for assistance.
    Chairwoman Demings. Administrator, as you know, I am proud 
to cosponsor the FEMA Equity Act along with Chairman Thompson. 
You spoke earlier about just some of the structural issues that 
result in inequities as it pertains to disaster response. Can 
you discuss the importance of these actions based on your work 
to increase equity in FEMA?
    Ms. Criswell. Yes. I would really like to highlight a 
couple of our programs within our Individual Assistance 
Program. I mentioned it a little bit in my opening remarks. We 
are really committed to increasing the--or I would say reducing 
the barriers that individuals and communities have to accessing 
our programs. We were able to make some simple policy changes 
last year to increase our equitable delivery.
    Those changes that I mentioned in my opening remarks about 
changing the types of documentation we accept allowed 42,000 
homeowners and over 53,000 renters receive assistance from FEMA 
that just a year before we would have denied assistance. I 
think that the total amount was about $350 million. This is 
really substantial of understanding the barriers that 
individuals and communities have to receiving our assistance, 
really taking the time to understand it, and then looking at 
why our policy is creating that barrier and what can we do to 
change that policy.
    We are continuing to look at our policies, but we are also 
looking at future legislative or rulemaking changes that we can 
do for long-term changes to helping ensure that those that need 
our help the most can access it.
    Chairwoman Demings. Thank you so much, Administrator. The 
Chair now recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas, Ms. Jackson 
Lee, for 5 minutes.
    Ms. Jackson Lee.
    OK. Let me just make sure there are no other Members who 
are prepared to ask questions during the second round. Ms. 
Jackson Lee.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. Can you hear me?
    Chairwoman Demings. Yes, I can. You are recognized for 5 
minutes.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. Thank you very much. Administrator, let me 
quickly just go back to the question I originally asked and 
just a quick response to the decrease to the State Homeland 
Security Grant Program and to the Urban Area Security 
Initiative Program. Do you know why that was proposed as a 
decrease?
    Ms. Criswell. Yes, ma'am. So, again, our suite of Homeland 
Security grants are an essential part of increasing capacity 
across the country. We have slightly decreased the amount of 
funding that is within the UASI and the State Homeland Security 
Grant Program. But, at the same time, we have added in new 
grants such as our Cybersecurity Grant Program and increased 
the funding within our Nonprofit Security Grant program. I 
mean, we feel that this is a good balance to build capacity in 
areas where we don't have capability yet while sustaining the 
capacity that we have already built across the country with our 
other two programs.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. So, let me then follow up on the Nonprofit 
Security Grant Program. I would like to work with the Budget 
Committee and work with the budget going forward to see how we 
can balance that. I believe it is a very important priority for 
this committee and for me dealing with the Nonprofit Security 
Grant Programs, particularly after recent threats to houses of 
worship and HBCUs. You are requesting $360 million. I assume 
that is a plus-up, an increase of $110 million.
    So, can you elaborate on the importance of this program and 
are there more that FEMA and the Department can do to support 
these particular programs? This is----
    Ms. Criswell. Congresswoman----
    Ms. Jackson Lee. Yes.
    Ms. Criswell. Yes, Congresswoman. As Secretary Mayorkas, 
you know, he has really called for the significant increase 
that we are seeing in this grant program because of the rise in 
the types of threats that we are seeing to nonprofit 
organizations across the country, in particular the houses of 
worship as well as our HBCUs.
    This is an incredible program, again, to build capacity in 
an area that we just have not invested funding in and something 
that our Homeland Security Grant and our UASI Program has not 
addressed. So we want to continue to use this Nonprofit 
Security Grant Program to build this capability in an area that 
does not have the same capability that we are seeing in other 
parts of our emergency management enterprise.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. Well, I think the administration has very 
good intentions. I would like to find a way to support the 
Nonprofit Security Grant Program and still keep some of these 
important programs that I mentioned that did lose dollars, that 
are so very important to local areas in the midst of disasters.
    I also want to put forward my FEMA restructuring bill that 
I look forward, Administrator, to discussing with the 
administration and strengthening FEMA's infrastructure 
personnel. I think we already discussed it. I clearly want to 
provide the sort of support system that FEMA staffing needs.
    Would you just again for the record restate the importance 
of ensuring the mental well-being, the financial resources, the 
payments, and the sensitivity to FEMA employees having to move 
around, leaving their home most times, to address disasters?
    Ms. Criswell. Congresswoman Jackson Lee, I appreciate your 
on-going support and commitment to our work force. Again, we 
can't do what we do without them and they are incredible 
servants of the public.
    As I stated earlier, you know, we are taking a look at how 
we can better structure our work force to respond to this 
increase in the demand of natural disasters that we are 
experiencing. My team is continuing to provide technical 
drafting assistance to you for the bill that you had put 
forward.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. I wanted to emphasize particularly the 
mental health. I have seen them work in very stressful moments. 
Is some of the funding working to ensure their well-being as it 
relates to mental health, dealing with disasters and the 
terrible impact of disasters?
    Ms. Criswell. Yes, ma'am. The mental health of our work 
force is an incredible priority for me and we have put a number 
of programs in place to make sure that we are very focused on 
supporting the mental health of our work force. Part of our 
budget request will continue to support and expand the type of 
assistance that we are able to provide.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. Thank you. I look forward to really 
discussing the legislation that I have. I thank the Chairwoman 
for yielding and her leadership, and the Ranking Member. Thank 
you all so very much.
    Chairwoman Demings. The gentlewoman yields back. With that, 
Administrator Criswell, I thank you for your valuable 
testimony. I thank the Members for their questions. The Members 
of the subcommittee may have additional questions for the 
witness and we ask that you respond expeditiously in writing to 
those questions. The Chair reminds Members that the committee 
record will remain open for 10 business days.
    Without objection, the subcommittee stands adjourned.
    Ms. Criswell. Thank you, Chairwoman.
    [Whereupon, at 11:33 a.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.]



                            A P P E N D I X

                              ----------                              

     Questions From Chairman Bennie G. Thompson for Deanne Criswell
    Question 1. Last month, Senator Warren, Chairwoman Demings, and I 
introduced the ``FEMA Equity Act'' (HR 7668). The bill was drafted 
after the State of Mississippi failed to do its part to address 
devastation caused by the June floods in the Mississippi Delta. This 
legislation would improve FEMA's data collection systems and require 
the agency to incorporate equity criteria throughout its policies and 
programming. It also codifies in law the Equity Advisor and the Equity 
Enterprise Steering Group that you have established.
    Based on your work to increase equity at FEMA, can you discuss the 
importance of these actions, specifically improved data collection, 
integrating equity criteria into FEMA policies and programs, the Equity 
Advisor and the Equity Enterprise Steering Group?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Question 2a. Members of the Committee on Homeland Security have 
witnessed numerous instances of State governments ignoring or 
discriminating against certain communities in need after a disaster. 
For example, during this hearing, Mr. Green discussed how the Texas 
Grant Land Office directed Federal funds from Hurricane Harvey to 
wealthier, White inland communities, failing to direct any of a billion 
dollars in Federal funds to flood-prone communities in Houston. I have 
personally seen the State of Mississippi ignore the needs of my 
district. After the flooding last June, the Mississippi failed to even 
ask for a joint preliminary damage assessment.
    What can FEMA do to help ensure that States allocate Federal funds 
equitably?
    Question 2b. What can FEMA do to help ensure that States allocate 
Federal funds equitably?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
        Question From Chairwoman Val Demings for Deanne Criswell
    Question. The Stafford Act's nondiscrimination provision was 
intentionally constructed by Congress to be broad in order to allow 
FEMA to implement equitable policies.\1\ Congress intended to prevent 
the consequences of current policies, which although appear neutral, 
often lead to disparate impacts.\2\ The committee has heard from 
advocacy groups that FEMA has interpreted the law in a way that limits 
the agency's ability to implement equitable policies and programs that 
address various communities' specific needs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ Hannah Perls and Dane Underwood, Equitable Disaster Relief: An 
Analysis of FEMA's Legal Authority to Integrate Equity under the 
Stafford Act, October 20, 2021, http://eelp.law.harvard.edu/wp-content/
uploads/Equitiable-Disaster-Relief-Perls-Underwood-PDF.pdf.
    \2\ Ibid.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    How does FEMA interpret the Stafford Act's nondiscrimination 
provision to advance equitable and fair policies and programming?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
      Question From Honorable Andrew Garbarino for Deanne Criswell
    Question. It was not long ago that Superstorm Sandy devasted much 
of my district on Long Island. For many of my constituents, Sandy 
caused such catastrophic damage that they are still recovering from it 
today. In fact, most of my constituents' lives will never be the same. 
However, we know that taking the right steps around pre-disaster 
mitigation will save not only lives, but also countless taxpayer 
dollars, as multiple studies show that for every dollar spent on better 
protecting our communities from climate events, $11 are saved in future 
costs. One such program that helps Long Islanders build homes 
resiliently is the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities 
(BRIC) Program, which was created by the 2018 Disaster Recovery Reform 
Act. While Congress intended dollars provided to communities through 
the BRIC Program to be used toward strengthening building code 
enforcement, I have heard from countless Long Islanders that they 
either are unclear on how to properly use the awarded BRIC funds or are 
unable to use the funds toward the program's intended purpose. 
Administrator Criswell, have you heard whether BRIC Program recipients 
are having issues with using awarded funds, and if so, does FEMA have 
any plans to address this issue?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.

                                 [all]