House Panel Examines Bipartisan FEMA Reform Bill

On July 15, 2026, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee held a hearing on the bipartisan Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act (H.R. 4669). NAR supports the legislation, which would speed disaster assistance, prioritize cost-effective home repairs, strengthen mitigation efforts, create a single application for federal disaster aid programs, and help communities rebuild to more resilient standards that reduce future losses and support insurance availability.

 Key Themes

1. Broad support for the FEMA Act. Committee leaders and witnesses representing local governments, insurers, and the business community agreed that FEMA's current disaster assistance programs are often too slow and bureaucratic, leaving survivors and communities waiting years for recovery funding. Several witnesses highlighted provisions that would replace the current reimbursement-based process with an estimate-based system, allowing aid to flow more quickly and predictably.
2. Housing was a major focus. Witnesses strongly supported provisions that would provide permanent authority to repair damaged homes rather than relying primarily on temporary housing assistance. One witness testified that repairing homes is often less expensive than funding long-term hotel stays or FEMA trailers and helps preserve workforce housing that is frequently lost after disasters. Witnesses also emphasized the importance of helping families return home more quickly after disasters.
3. FEMA can repair homes and reduce risk. Witnesses noted that FEMA was designed to complement, not replace, private insurance. Several argued that while FEMA cannot solve insurance affordability challenges, permanent authority to repair damaged homes would help homeowners recover more quickly, particularly in areas where insurance coverage is increasingly difficult to obtain. Witnesses also contended that accelerating mitigation and home-hardening projects could reduce disaster losses, improve insurability, and help moderate insurance costs over time.

Why this matters

For real estate professionals, the hearing highlighted that Congress increasingly views disaster recovery, housing affordability, and insurance availability as interconnected challenges. NAR will continue advocating for policies that strengthen disaster resilience, support housing recovery, and improve insurance availability, including advancement of the FEMA Act.

Watch the Congressional Hearing and Read the Witness Testimony (House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee hearing, Jul. 15, 2026)
NAR Supports FEMA Disaster Aid Reform Act (Washington Report, Feb. 6, 2026)