Agencies in Transition: FEMA Reform and USDA Relocation Plans Advance

A panel reviewing the future of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is calling for a slew of changes in its final report, including staff changes and transferring more power to local authorities. 

However, the report focuses more heavily on restructuring FEMA’s workforce and operations than on across-the-board staffing cuts.

Here are some of the takeaways:

The report recommends downsizing the agency by “rebalancing” how many people work in regional offices as opposed to the agency’s DC headquarters to “reduce the agency’s bureaucratic bloat.” The report says FEMA should conduct a strategic review to accomplish that goal. 

The report acknowledged FEMA’s understaffing but said the agency’s performance was affected by “bureaucracy and mission creep.”

“Although personnel gaps were routinely highlighted as a challenge, it was left unspoken that the root problem was the expanding mission portfolio, not simply personnel,” the council’s report states.

The recommendation on staffing comes as FEMA recently reinstated dozens of employees who had previously been suspended. FEMA also started offering jobs to contract workers who were let go earlier this year.

Other recommendations include shifting more capabilities to state and local governments, including oversight of federal grants. 

Another proposal would raise the threshold states must meet to qualify for federal disaster assistance.

“Locally executed, state managed and federally supported — that was our North Star,” said former Mississippi governor Phil Bryant, a panel member. 

Another change is transitioning more flood insurance responsibilities to private carriers and state regulators. 

The recommendations will go to President Trump for his review. Many of the changes would require legislative action from Congress.

Critics say the changes would weaken FEMA. 

“At a time when disasters are becoming more severe and more costly, Americans need a stronger Federal emergency management system — not one in retreat,” said Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee. 

USDA Relocations

FEMA is not the only agency facing major organizational changes as the administration pursues broader restructuring efforts across government.

Research employees at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are reportedly telling labor unions they will not relocate to Kansas City, as USDA seeks to move DC-based employees at the Economic Research Service (ERS) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) conducted a survey of its affected members and found that 75 percent say they will not relocate. AFGE warns that the relocation will result in “brain drain.”

USDA first relocated hundreds of ERS and NIFA positions to Kansas City in 2019. Around 85 percent of employees left federal service rather than move. 

The changes are part of USDA's broader reorganization that will see 2,600 employees shifted from DC-area into new regional hubs.

Other relocations include the Forest Service headquarters from DC to Salt Lake City, Utah, and two-thirds of DC workers at the Food Safety and Inspection Service to facilities in Iowa and Georgia.