Why It Matters

States could be asked to shoulder far more responsibility for disaster response even as many emergency management agencies face staffing shortages, funding constraints and heavy dependence on federal dollars.

A recent Congressional Research Service report published on Sept. 3 examines whether state emergency management agencies have sufficient capacity to absorb additional responsibilities as the Trump administration seeks to shift more responsibility for disaster management to states. The administration's FEMA Review Council has recommended giving states, local governments, tribes, and territories greater responsibility for disaster response, with the federal government serving a supporting role.

Separately, H.R. 3347, the Sovereign States Emergency Management Act, would abolish the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and establish a block grant program for states. The stakes are significant. A Congressional Research Service analysis of 37 state emergency management agencies found that staffing and funding were the top two concerns, raising questions about whether states can handle expanded duties if federal support shrinks.

The Big Picture

State emergency management capacity varies dramatically across the country. According to the National Emergency Management Association, state emergency management staffing ranges from 22 full-time employees in Wyoming to 1,878 in California, with a national average of 168. In fiscal year 2025, 1,191 positions remained vacant out of 8,612 total full-time state emergency management positions. Sixteen states reported layoffs or hiring freezes during the same fiscal year.

State emergency management agency budgets for the current fiscal year range from $390,000 in New Mexico to $700 million in Illinois. The dependence on federal dollars can be substantial. For some states, up to 99.4 percent of annual emergency management agency budgets came from federal funding in fiscal year 2024. Only 28 states have a state-level Public Assistance program analogous to FEMA's Public Assistance grants.

H.R. 3347, the Sovereign States Emergency Management Act, introduced by Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA), would abolish FEMA two years after enactment and establish a block grant program administered by the Treasury Department for natural disaster and emergency relief. Block grant allocations would consider population, disaster frequency and severity over the preceding 20 years, geographic risk factors, and economic need measured by per-capita income. The bill has not advanced beyond the committee stage.

Congress has also provided roughly $2 billion for FEMA preparedness grants during the current fiscal year, including funding for state and local preparedness programs.

Since January 2025, incidents with eligible costs exceeding FEMA's per-capita indicators have not consistently received major disaster declarations or Public Assistance, highlighting the discretion involved in determining when federal disaster aid supplements state resources.

The Bottom Line

The Congressional Research Service concludes that some states and territories may be better positioned to perform additional emergency management responsibilities if federal involvement diminishes, while others may struggle to adjust. The report warns that rapid changes could create gaps in the delivery of disaster recovery aid and notes that states may need months or years to adapt their laws, policies, programs, staffing, and administrative capacity to expanded responsibilities.

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