Mullin presents a different vision for FEMA, sparking cautious hope

President Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Homeland Security presented a softer approach on federal emergency management in his Senate confirmation hearing, rejecting the idea of eliminating FEMA and pledging to undo some of his predecessor’s unpopular policies.

The remarks by Markwayne Mullin on Wednesday raised hopes among disaster response managers that a shift is coming in the administration’s approach to the Federal Emergency Management Agency after months of turbulence under outgoing Secretary Kristi Noem.

But despite his mostly conciliatory remarks about federal disaster response, it remains to be seen what reforms Mullin would actually champion, or how he would lead if confirmed. Mullin is loyal to Trump, whose messaging on FEMA has been inconsistent.

“It’s got a great mission, and I think people at FEMA want to do their job,” Mullin told fellow Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford Wednesday in his confirmation hearing to replace Noem. Mullin said he backed reforms for the agency to make it more effective, speed up payments to state and local jurisdictions and better serve rural communities.

Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of phasing out the agency and pushing more disaster responsibilities to states. Mullin’s remarks came less than a year after FEMA’s then-acting leader Cameron Hamilton was fired following a House committee hearing where he said the agency should not be eliminated.

FEMA under Noem went through turbulence

FEMA was mired in upheaval and uncertainty throughout Noem’s DHS tenure, undergoing staff reductions, program cuts and delays to disaster declarations and spending.

The release of a highly anticipated report from the Trump-appointed FEMA Review Council meant to spell out recommendations for overhauling the agency is months late, keeping states and other stakeholders in suspense over how much they can rely on federal disaster support in the future.

Former FEMA officials expressed hope that Mullin’s comments could mark a change from the tumult experienced under Noem, and an opening to serious reforms to streamline the agency.

“He gets the importance of FEMA and while there is definitely room for improvement, he understands the partnership with FEMA is essential,” said Deanne Criswell, FEMA administrator under President Joe Biden.

Pete Gaynor, FEMA administrator during Trump’s first term, said Mullin’s remarks represented “an impressive and meaningful first step forward.”

Mullin suggests a change in approach is coming to FEMA

In exchanges with Lankford and Democratic Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey, Mullin maintained that disaster response should be locally led with FEMA in a supporting role, an approach already laid out in the agency’s mission, and that reforms were needed to speed payments to disaster-hit communities.

“Taking years to get reimbursed is not acceptable,” Mullin said. “Taking, honestly, months to get reimbursed is not acceptable.”

Pressed by Kim on specific policies, Mullin said he would revoke Noem’s directive that she must personally approve expenditures over $100,000, a rule that infuriated lawmakers of both parties who said it compromised disaster response and recovery.

“I’m not a micromanager,” said Mullin, also telling Kim that he was already looking at potential nominees for a permanent FEMA administrator. Trump still has not nominated a permanent FEMA administrator and the agency is under its third temporary leader.

While Mullin told Kim the agency would be “adequately staffed” to respond to the nation’s disasters, he stopped short of saying whether he believed FEMA had too many employees.

Mullin also committed to working with lawmakers on potential FEMA reforms after Kim complained that Noem had not engaged senators as FEMA Review Council co-chair. Mullin vowed to have “the best” outreach to lawmakers, acknowledging that FEMA reforms can’t happen without them.

“I’m pretty sure that you guys set the policies and mission for FEMA, so for any serious changes, it may take actually policy changes,” he told Kim. FEMA’s mission and responsibilities are outlined in the 1988 Stafford Act and subsequent laws, and many changes to its processes require legislative action.

Some are not yet convinced that change is coming

Amanda Devecka-Renear, executive director of the New Jersey Organizing Project, which advocates for Hurricane Sandy survivors, said she wanted to wait to see Mullin’s words put to action.

“Disaster survivors have been misled by hollow rhetoric before, and will be watching closely if Sen. Mullin is confirmed by the Senate to see if his actions match his words,” Devecka-Renear said.

It’s not clear whether Mullin would embrace some of the reform ideas floated by Trump, Noem and the FEMA Review Council, such as giving states block grants instead of reimbursements and revising the thresholds state and local communities must meet to qualify for a major disaster declaration.

Disaster experts and some local stakeholders have cautioned that those changes could mean less money to states, tribes and territories. States would have to make budget tradeoffs to adapt to any federal downsizing of support, and need time to make those adjustments, Peter Muller, senior officer at The Pew Charitable Trusts, said at a gathering of state emergency managers last week.

Mullin also did not directly commit to reinstating FEMA employees who were put on leave after signing an August public letter of dissent opposing policies they said weakened the agency, but told Kim that retaliating against whistleblowers was against the law.

“I’ll work within the law and the requirements of me, as secretary,” he said.