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U.S. Government Affairs News

• Senators express support for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (May 15, 2024) On May 15, 33 Senators signed a letter of support for the Nonprofit Security Grant program. The letter was sent to the leadership of the Senate Appropriations Committee requesting $400,000,000 be appropriated for the program in Fiscal Year 2025. Read the letter.
   
• Senators express support for FEMA’s preparedness grants (May 15, 2024) On May 15, 10 Senators signed a letter of support for FEMA’s preparedness grants programs, including EMPG. The letter was sent to the leadership of the Senate Appropriations Committee requesting robust funding for the programs in Fiscal Year 2025. Specifically, the Senators requested that the programs be funded either to the level of the FY24 Minibus, or the President’s Budget Request, whichever is higher. Read the letter.
   
• Monthly Updates and the FY24/FY25 Budget (May. 13, 2024) The IAEM-USA Government Affairs Committee provides monthly updates to members on work promoting the emergency management profession's policy and funding positions with our federal and legislative partners. These are typically high-level overviews on several topics. The May 2024 edition provides insight into the FY24 and FY25 budget cycles.
  
  The FY24 appropriations cycle was an extreme example of the continuing resolution budget process. The result was that FEMA took a cut of $73 million below the FY23 enacted level and $268 million below the President’s budget request. Perhaps the most troubling aspect of the cut to FEMA’s budget is a 9% across-the-board reduction for all homeland security and emergency management grants. The Disaster Response Fund (DRF) is also in serious trouble again this year.
  
  Read our full update to see what IAEM, in coordination with other associations, is doing to advocate for supplemental funding for the DRF and a return to previous grant funding levels in the FY25 budget.
   
• IAEM and other organizations endorse H.R. 7070 (Jan. 23, 2024) IAEM, NEMA, Big City EMs, NACo, IFCA, and BuildStrong sent a letter of endorsement for H.R. 7070, the Wildfire Response Improvement Act. The bill directs FEMA to recommend regulations to make immediate post-fire emergency protective measures eligible for assistance via a FMAG. The intent of this section is to ensure FMAG $ can be used for short-term safety assessments and activities post fire. Such activities might include removing fallen trees from roads, preliminary hill stabilization, address land slide and debris flow risks, and mitigate immediate risk to water sources. Nothing in Section 420 prevents FEMA from supporting these emergency protective measures. It further directs FEMA to update the PAPPG to include guidance on wildfire specific recovery challenges including debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the resulting toxicity of drinking water. And, it directs the FEMA Administrator to conduct a review of the criteria for evaluating the cost-effectiveness BRIC and HMPG projects. The intent of this provision is to ensure projects to mitigate wildfire related risk are as competitive as mitigation projects designed to mitigate typical east coast hazards such as severe storms and floods. Download the letter of endorsement.