Opinion -- House Approves Graves Water Resource Bill

 by Rep. Sam Graves Office

The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved H.R. 9497, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026, a bipartisan bill that addresses improvements for the nation’s ports and harbors, inland waterway navigation system, flood and storm risk management, environment, and other aspects of our water resources infrastructure. The bill, introduced by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (MO-06), was approved 415 to 9 on Wednesday. 

Communities nationwide and the U.S. economy rely on WRDA-authorized investments in water resources infrastructure and projects of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). Since 2014, Congress has enacted a WRDA every two years to help improve water resources infrastructure. WRDA-authorized projects of the Corps are locally-driven projects that deliver regional and national benefits.

“WRDA 2026 makes significant improvements across the country to our inland waterways, ports and harbors, flood protection, and other critical water infrastructure. This bill also makes common-sense reforms to the Army Corps of Engineers’ policies, empowers local communities, and expedites project delivery,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO). “For North Missouri, WRDA 2026 advances a comprehensive flood control plan on the Missouri River, ensuring that people and property are the main priority when managing the river. It also expands the ways our levee owners can work with the Corps to build flood risk management infrastructure and provides necessary, streamlined assistance to levee districts facing maintenance challenges. I look forward to working with the other chief sponsors of this bill – T&I Ranking Member Rick Larsen, Subcommittee Chairman Mike Collins, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Frederica Wilson – in addition to my colleagues in the House and our counterparts in the Senate to see a final WRDA bill signed into law by the end of this Congress.”

Numerous stakeholders have also expressed support for passing WRDA 2026.

As approved by the House today, WRDA 2026 authorizes 133 new feasibility studies for locally proposed water resources infrastructure projects and 14 projects that have been vetted by the Corps and are ready for construction authorization by Congress.

In addition, WRDA 2026 includes various policy changes to improve infrastructure project delivery. These include strengthening and reauthorizing alternative project delivery programs, emphasizing non-federal interests’ input for feasibility studies, and helping ensure non-federal interests can find the right Corps resources to get projects off the ground. 

The bill improves the partnership between the Corps and non-federal interests by establishing offices with expertise on inland navigation, alternative delivery, water supply, and technical assistance.  Policies in this bill will improve non-federal interests’ ability to obtain valuable technical assistance and to fund construction more quickly, as well as to encourage the Corps to increase use of multi-year contracts.

WRDA 2026 provisions will better support the Corps’ navigation mission, improve the Corps’ accountability to Congress, strengthen flood and coastal storm risk management, and address dam safety through the reauthorization of the High Hazard Potential Dam program under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) National Dam Safety Program.

Wins for North Missouri:

--Streamlines the Corps of Engineers’ process so local partners can more easily make needed improvements to federal water projects.

--Protects the Missouri River by ensuring its waters cannot be diverted out of the basin to Western states without the Governor’s approval.

--Directs the Corps to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to slow the buildup of sediment in the largest reservoir system in the country, the Missouri River Reservoir System, preserving the storage capacity necessary to protect communities from flooding and support navigation.

--Implements a comprehensive flood protection plan on the Lower Missouri River that puts local levee districts and communities in the drivers seat to move new flood control projects forward with help from the Corps.

--Ensures members of the Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee (MRRIC) elect their own chair, giving navigators, levee districts, communities, and other stakeholders a stronger voice in the committee.

--Ensures Mississippi River communities and levee districts aren’t hit with devastating new bureaucratic requirements until the Corps comes up with a workable plan to protect communities from flooding.

--Authorizes a nationwide review of the inland waterways to identify ways to modernize and strengthen them for the future.

--Encourages the Corps to clearly communicate what land rights local interests actually need to maintain flood protection projects.

Graves Opens Process for Service Academy Nominations

Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) announced that he is currently accepting applications from North Missouri students interested in attending the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy, or U.S. Naval Academy.

“One of the greatest honors I have as North Missouri’s Congressman is nominating students to serve at our nation’s service academies,” said Graves. “Outstanding young men and women from the district go through the application process each year. The process isn’t easy, but these students continually prove they are up to the challenge. Any student who is interested in attending a service academy should definitely consider applying.”

Individuals interested in applying for a service academy nomination can do so by contacting Congressman Graves’ Kansas City District Office at 816-792-3976 after opening an application with their desired service academy. To be eligible to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy, or U.S. Naval Academy, you must:

—Be at least 17 years old, but not have passed the 23rd birthday (25 for the Merchant Marine Academy).

—Be a U.S. Citizen, and a permanent resident of Missouri.

—Be unmarried, not pregnant, and have no legal obligation to support children or other dependents.

—Meet the medical, physical, and academic requirements of the Academy.

—Be of good moral character.

—Have a valid Social Security Number. 

The deadline for applications for the nomination process is 5:00 pm, September 30, 2026. 

The U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy, and U.S. Naval Academy all have extremely high admission standards and the nomination process is very competitive. Applicants are evaluated and interviewed by the Academy Nomination Review Board comprised of service academy graduates, veterans and citizens of Missouri’s 6th Congressional District before final recommendations are made to Congressman Graves.

Congressman Sam Graves Announces Retirement

Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) has announced that he will retire from Congress at the end of this session. Graves released the following statement:

"When I first ran for State Representative back in 1992, my aspiration was to represent my hometown of Tarkio, Missouri. I was a twenty-seven year old farmer who just wanted to stand up for a way of life and his community.  I never could have imagined where that decision would take me.

For 8 years in the Missouri House and Senate, I fought for Northwest Missourians. From deregulating vehicle inspections, to standing for chain gangs, to securing funding for rural schools in the desegregation fight, I never lost sight of why I was sent to Jefferson City. Then, in 2000, the good, hardworking people of Missouri’s Sixth District entrusted me to be their voice in Congress.

For 26 years, I have had the privilege of serving, culminating in becoming the Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and passing some of the most significant legislation in our nation’s history.  The responsibility entrusted to me is not something I have ever taken for granted. Not for a single day.

What I’m most proud of is the work my team did when Washington made life harder for the people of Missouri’s Sixth. Together, we stood with hundreds of thousands of Missourians in their toughest moments.  We helped them cut through red tape and navigate a system that often felt stacked against them.  We got them answers and fought to deliver real results when they needed them most.

I’ve said all of that to say this: After considerable reflection, 2026 will be my final year in Congress.  This wasn’t an easy decision, but it’s the right one. I believe in making room for the next generation. It’s time to pass the torch and allow a new guard of conservative leaders to step forward and chart a path forward for Missourians.

That doesn’t mean I’m slowing down, not even close.  As I enter the 4th quarter of my life, I have more left in me. As many of you know, I don't let grass grow under my feet. We’ve still got a lot of work to do. I’m going to fight to protect Missouri interests as we work to shape this year’s Highway Bill. I plan to finish this last term the same way I started, full speed ahead.

Maintaining our strong democratic republic will always depend on good people stepping up to serve from every corner of our great nation. I’m grateful for my colleagues in both parties, for the people I’ve worked alongside, and even for the opponents who challenged me and made me better. Public service isn’t easy. It takes hard work, humility, a thick skin, and a willingness to fight for what’s right.

At the end of the day, I’m still the farmer from Northwest Missouri. You’ll find me back home on the farm nearly every weekend, after all, it is planting season. In fact, I’ll probably be on a tractor this weekend. And come Monday, I’ll be heading back through Kansas City on my way to D.C. to keep doing the job you sent me there to do.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you. 

It has been the honor of a lifetime."

 

Opinion -- Transportation Committee Approves Graves Bill to Get Illegal Truckers Off Roads

By Rep. Sam Graves’ Office

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, led by Chairman Sam Graves (MO-06), approved Dalilah’s Law on Wednesday, legislation introduced by Highways and Transit Subcommittee Chairman David Rouzer (R-NC) to strengthen Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) requirements in the United States, ensure commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers are properly trained and meet safety standards, require CMV drivers to be able to read and understand the English language, and prevent unqualified and illegal immigrants that could pose a significant safety hazard from obtaining a CDL through lax enforcement by states. 

Dalilah’s Law is named in honor of Dalilah Coleman, who, at five years old, was struck and severely injured by an illegal alien driving a semi-truck. Dalilah was a guest of President Trump at this year’s State of the Union address, where the President called for Congress to pass such a law to block illegal and unqualified immigrants from obtaining a CDL in the United States. The accident that caused Dalilah’s injury is only one example of recent incidents caused by drivers who were not qualified to safely operate a commercial motor vehicle and should not have been given CDLs. Some states, including California and others, have previously issued CDL’s to drivers not proficient in English, enabling them to travel cross country behind the wheel of a semi. 

The Committee approved the bill by a vote of 35 to 26.  More information from Wednesday's markup is available here.

“By approving Dalilah’s Law, T&I Republicans took an important step towards addressing this safety issue and making sure only qualified drivers can obtain a CDL,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO).  “This is commonsense legislation that requires all truck drivers on our roads to be able to read and speak English, strengthens laws related to issuing CDLs, and ensures that states are following and enforcing those laws and requirements. Dalilah’s Law supports the Trump Administration’s efforts to make our roads safer. I want to commend Chairman Rouzer for his leadership on this issue, and I look forward to moving this bill quickly through the House of Representatives.”

“Today we’re one step closer to safer roads for Dalilah Coleman, her family, and all Americans,” said Highways and Transit Subcommittee Chairman David Rouzer (R-NC), the lead sponsor of the legislation. “Ensuring each truck driver is qualified and legally operating will protect the public from these tragic, yet preventable accidents. I want to thank Chairman Graves, Secretary Duffy, and my colleagues for their support and swift action in advancing this critical legislation. I look forward to working to get this bill through the House and Senate to answer President Trump’s call to restore public trust on our roadways.”                

The bill parallels and supports efforts by President Trump and Transportation Secretary Duffy to crack down on this safety crisis that was fueled by the open border policies of the Biden Administration, and it codifies many of the Administration’s actions to ensure safety on the nation’s roads. The legislation also includes a provision from Rep. Dave Taylor’s (R-OH) Connor’s Law requiring English Language Proficiency for all CDL holders.

Dalilah’s Law, improves safety and CDL policies by:

—Ensuring all CDL holders understand English, roads signs, and law enforcement officers;

—Placing drivers who fail to meet the Law’s requirements and safety standards out-of-service;

—Requiring states to verify that they are not issuing CDLs to illegal immigrants;

—Significantly increasing penalties for states failing to comply with the Law, by withholding of Federal funds;

—Banning shady foreign dispatch services and brokers, who have fueled a surge in freight fraud and cargo theft; and

—Cracking down on “CDL mills” to ensure drivers entering the industry are receiving adequate training.

 

Opinion -- Graves Bill Would Crack Down on Illegal Trucking

By Rep. Sam Graves Office

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, led by Chairman Sam Graves (MO-06), will take up Dalilah’s Law this week, a measure to strengthen Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) requirements in the United States, ensure commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers are properly trained and meet safety standards, require CMV drivers to be able to read and understand the English language, and prevent unqualified and illegal immigrants that could pose a significant safety hazard from obtaining a CDL through lax enforcement by states. The legislation was introduced by Highways and Transit Subcommittee Chairman David Rouzer (R-NC).

Dalilah’s Law is named in honor of Dalilah Coleman, the 5-year-old girl who was struck and severely injured by an illegal alien driving a semi-truck. Dalilah was a guest of President Trump at this year’s State of the Union address, where the President called for Congress to pass such a law to block illegal and unqualified immigrants from obtaining a CDL in the United States. The accident that caused Dalilah’s injury is only one example of recent incidents caused by drivers who were not qualified to safely operate a commercial motor vehicle and should not have been given CDLs.

“Let me be clear – this is a safety issue. If you can’t speak and read English, or if you’re not properly trained to drive a semi down our highways, you’ve got no business holding a CDL in the United States. Furthermore, we need to strengthen the laws related to issuing CDLs and ensure that states are following and enforcing those laws and requirements,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO). “Dalilah’s Law is a commonsense piece of legislation that achieves those goals and strongly supports the efforts of the Trump Administration to make our roads safer. I want to commend Chairman Rouzer for his leadership on this issue, and I look forward to moving this bill through the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee later this week, and then quickly through the House of Representatives.”

“Commercial driver’s license standards are in place for a reason: to ensure that only those qualified to drive a truck are allowed to do so. Dalilah’s story is the heartbreaking consequence of what happens when those standards are both insufficient and breached,” said Highways and Transit Subcommittee Chairman David Rouzer (R-NC), the lead sponsor of the legislation. “Unqualified, illegal foreign drivers behind the wheel of an 80-ton rig put the public in danger. President Trump called on Congress to end this systematic abuse, and Dalilah’s Law answers the call. I look forward to working with Secretary Duffy and Chairman Graves to get this bill to the President’s desk to prevent tragedies like Dalilah’s from happening again.”

H.R. 5688 was first introduced by Chairman Rouzer on October 3, 2025, as the Non-Domiciled CDL Integrity Act, to end the issuance of CDLs to illegal immigrants who lack the English proficiency, road-rule knowledge, and safety skills needed to safely operate CMVs. The bill parallels efforts by President Trump and Transportation Secretary Duffy to crack down on this safety crisis that was fueled by the open border policies of the Biden Administration, and it codifies many of the Administration’s actions to ensure safety on the nation’s roads. The legislation also includes a provision from Rep. Dave Taylor’s (R-OH) Commercial Motor Vehicle English Proficiency Act requiring English Language Proficiency for all CDL holders.

The updated bill text of H.R. 5688, now known as Dalilah’s Law, improves safety and CDL policies by:

—Ensuring all CDL holders understand English, roads signs, and law enforcement officers;

—Placing drivers who fail to meet the Law’s requirements and safety standards out-of-service;

—Requiring states to verify that they are not issuing CDLs to illegal immigrants;

—Significantly increasing penalties for states failing to comply with the Law, by withholding of Federal funds;

—Banning shady foreign dispatch services and brokers, who have fueled a surge in freight fraud and cargo theft; and

—Cracking down on “CDL mills” to ensure drivers entering the industry are receiving adequate training.

Opinion -- Graves Delivers Wins for North Missouri in Defense Bill

By Congressman Sam Graves Office

Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, delivered important wins for North Missouri in the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the House today. The bill supports our troops at home and abroad, their families, and their mission in keeping our country safe.

“We have to ensure our military remains the most lethal, most effective fighting force in the world,” said Graves. “To do that, we have to give our troops the tools they need to fight and win—while supporting them and their families at home and abroad. I’m proud to have worked in the House Armed Services Committee to ensure this year’s defense bill does just that, while also supporting the vital mission of the 139th Airlift Wing in St. Joseph and good-paying skilled jobs at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant in Independence.”

Wins for North Missouri:

$200 million for procuring 2 C-130Js for Air National Guard

Extends C-130 fleet protections through FY28, including the minimum inventory requirement and the prohibition on reducing Air National Guard C-130 aircraft.

Requires annual reports through FY28 on Air Force C-130 inventory, planned retirements, modernization and recapitalization efforts, and basing plans for fielding C-130Js for Air National Guard

Fosters development of a Domestic Operations Tactics Training Center for C-130J aircrews at Rosecrans, building on the 139th Airlift Wing’s expertise in responding to domestic disasters and training crews in advanced airlift tactics.

Encourages the expansion of C-130J simulator training, including training at the 139th Airlift Wing.

Highlights the strategic warfighting training done at the Advanced Airlift Tactics Center at Rosecrans.

$15.5 million to partner with the private sector and academic institutions like the University of Missouri – Kansas City to develop and demonstrate technologies needed for the domestic production of critical materials from domestic mineral sources.

Nearly $700 million for small arms ammunition produced or will be produced at Lake City Army Ammunition Plant

Another $1 billion for small arms facilities modernization, including Lake City Army Ammunition Plant 

Wins for Missouri:

Prohibits the Air Force from reducing the A-10 fleet below 93 primary mission aircraft in FY26, and requires a briefing on plans to fully divest the A-10 before FY29.

Ensures there’s a plan to recapitalize the 442nd Fighter Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base

Protect Fort Leonard Wood’s Military Treatment Facility (MTF) by extending the freeze on cutting medical billets to 10 years and requiring a full-year notice with stricter oversight before DoD can reduce or change any MTF services.

$2.59 billion for procurement of B-21 long-range bombers, which will be based at Whiteman Air Force Base

$407 million to manufacture MQ-25 Stingrays in St. Louis

$576 million to modernize and sustain F/A-18E/Fs and EA-18Gs in St. Louis

$50.6 million to produce the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in St. Louis

$33 million for military construction at Whiteman Air Force Base to support the B-21 bomber

$132.6 million for the Joint Assault Bridge, made in Bridgeton

Wins for Our Troops:

Delivers a hard-earned 3.8 percent pay raise for our servicemembers and expands military bonuses and special pay.

Increases the Family Separation Allowance for deployed servicemembers

Authorizes $1.5 billion for new construction of barracks and family housing.

Mandates a plan to meet the government’s unfulfilled legal obligations on health, safety, and environmental hazards in military housing.

Requires an independent evaluation of military housing conditions

The FY2026 NDAA now heads to the Senate for final passage before it can be signed into law by President Trump.

Opinion -- Graves Blasts Schumer for Using Air Traffic Controllers as Pawns

by Rep. Sam Graves' Office
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) joined Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-MI), and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy today at a press conference to discuss the impacts of the government shutdown on our aviation system and the more than 13,000 air traffic controllers currently working without pay.

Chairman Graves took the opportunity to praise air traffic controllers for continuing to do their job despite the uncertainty surrounding their next paycheck: “They’re showing up for work, they’re doing the job, and they’re making sure that our skies stay safe.” Speaking about the shutdown and Senator Chuck Schumer, Graves said, “It’s unfortunate that he’s weaponizing the air traffic controllers,” and stressed that neither controllers nor their families should be used as political bargaining chips.

Speaker Mike Johnson addressed reports that air traffic controllers are taking on second jobs to make ends meet during the government shutdown: “Air traffic controllers, some people call the policemen of our skies, they have been showing up at work without pay. And, news reports have suggested that these men and women are seeking outside employment just to keep their families afloat.”

Secretary Duffy assured the public that it is still safe to fly and that the Administration’s efforts to modernize the air traffic control system, for which the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee provided a down payment of $12.5 billion in H.R. 1, is still progressing during the shutdown. However, he noted that the shutdown has the potential to negatively impact the recruitment of new air traffic controllers, as recruits are witnessing controllers go without pay. Hiring new air traffic controllers has been a priority for the Trump Administration as they work to address the current controller shortage. Secretary Duffy spoke about effects of the shutdown on new recruits saying, “They’re thinking about leaving the [FAA] Academy, smart young men and women, because they don’t want to work for a system that won’t pay them.”

Chairman Graves joined Secretary Duffy and House Republican Leadership in urging liberals in the Senate to pass a clear continuing resolution – which the House did weeks ago – and vote to reopen the government.

Committee Approves Graves Bill to Streamline FEMA

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved legislation on Wednesday to provide the most robust legislative reform of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and federal disaster assistance programs in decades.

The Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act of 2025 (H.R. 4669) streamlines the federal government’s disaster response and recovery programs while also making FEMA a cabinet-level agency once again that is directly accountable to the President.  The bill rewards effective state and local preparedness, protects taxpayers, cuts red tape, and ensures that relief efforts are fast, fair, and free from political bias.

“The FEMA Act is designed to address one simple fact that we all recognize, especially Americans who have been impacted by disasters: FEMA is not working the way it should for our communities,” said Chairman Graves.  “This bill makes FEMA directly accountable to the President, replaces the slow and bureaucratic rebuilding process, makes critical reforms to speed up federal processes, makes disaster assistance work better for survivors, demands greater transparency from FEMA, and more.”

The FEMA Act was introduced by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO); Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA); former Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee lead Republican Daniel Webster (R-FL); and Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee Ranking Member Greg Stanton (D-AZ). 

 

2.6 Million Pieces of Mail Delayed in St. Louis in Two Days

 

While Kansas City’s mail delay problems have been in the news, Rep. Sam Graves focused on the problems at the St. Louis facility in an August 14th Facebook post.

Recently, the USPS Office of Inspector General conducted an audit at the St. Louis facility over the last three months. They reported that in just two days in June, almost 2.6 million pieces of mail were delayed; however, as quoted by Rep. Graves, the report said that they only reported that 1.5 million pieces were delayed.

In addition, the report said that over 50% of all outbound mail trips from the St. Louis processing facility were either late or canceled.

“Management acknowledges that there were issues and promised to fix them. That’s not gonna cut it. It’s time for management to go and the Postal Service needs to overhaul this facility completely, so Northeast Missouri can start getting their mail on time again,” said Rep. Graves.

The report identified multiple causes, including employee availability, insufficient oversight, and processing inefficiencies. For instance, during the week of May 14th, the facility had 145 vacancies.

 

Opinion -- Graves Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Reform FEMA

By Congressman Sam Graves’ Office

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee leaders introduced legislation in the U.S. House that would provide the most robust legislative reform of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and federal disaster assistance programs in decades.

The Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act of 2025 (H.R. 4669) was introduced by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO); Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA); former Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee lead Republican Daniel Webster (R-FL); and Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee Ranking Member Greg Stanton (D-AZ). The FEMA Act was introduced following Graves’ and Larsen’s release of a discussion draft bill on May 8, 2025, and the subsequent feedback the Committee received on the draft from Members of Congress and the emergency management stakeholder community.

The FEMA Act streamlines the federal government’s disaster response and recovery programs while also making FEMA a cabinet-level agency once again that is directly accountable to the President. The bill rewards effective state and local preparedness, protects taxpayers, cuts red tape, and ensures that relief efforts are fast, fair, and free from political bias.

“The American people need an emergency management system that works quickly and effectively, not one that makes disaster recovery more difficult,” said Chairman Graves. “But time and time again, we’ve heard the same story from state and local officials, emergency managers, and disaster victims: the federal process is too slow, complicated, and disconnected from the realities on the ground. Communities trying to rebuild are forced to navigate a maze of complicated rules, conflicting timelines, and mountains of burdensome paperwork. FEMA is in need of serious reform, and the goal of the FEMA Act of 2025 is to fix it. This bill does more than any recent reforms to cut through the bureaucracy, streamline programs, provide flexibility, and return FEMA to its core purpose of empowering the states to lead and coordinating the federal response when it’s needed.”

“Billion-dollar disasters—like the devastating 2021 flooding in Skagit and Whatcom counties – threaten the safety and livelihood of communities in Washington and across America as the severity of disasters increase,” Ranking Member Larsen said. “This bipartisan bill will make FEMA stronger and more efficient, giving it the tools it needs to provide relief to disaster-impacted communities like those in my district hit by the 2024 Bomb Cyclone. Thank you to my counterpart, Chairman Sam Graves, for partnering on this bipartisan solution.”

“As a Floridian, I know firsthand the damage that hurricanes and natural disasters bring, and how important effective preparation, response and relief is when tragedy strikes,” said Rep. Webster. “Florida has set the gold standard for disaster mitigation and emergency response, and this legislation builds on that success at the national level. By streamlining FEMA and cutting red tape, we ensure that federal disaster response is faster, more efficient, and accountable to the American people.”

“FEMA’s mission is to help Americans in their darkest hour. The agency isn’t perfect, and its job is getting harder as disasters grow more frequent and more severe. But the solution is not to tear FEMA down – it’s to work across the aisle to build FEMA up,” said Ranking Member Stanton. “This bipartisan bill takes common-sense steps to streamline the agency and make sure communities get disaster assistance quickly, efficiently and fairly.”

Summary of the FEMA Act of 2025

The FEMA Act of 2025 restores FEMA’s original status as an independent agency, reporting directly to the President and overseen by its own inspector general.

This structure mirrors the Stafford Act, which authorizes the President to direct federal disaster response efforts through the Disaster Relief Fund.

Returning FEMA to a Cabinet-level agency will empower the Administrator to lead a coordinated, government-wide response to disasters.

FEMA will become more agile and focused on helping Americans – not bogged down by having its resources and personnel diverted to support non-Stafford Act disasters.

The FEMA Act of 2025 puts disaster-impacted states in the driver’s seat, helps dollars reach communities faster, injects common sense, and cuts red tape that can drag out disaster recovery for decades.

By replacing the slow and bureaucratic rebuilding process with faster, project-based grants, states will be able to set the pace of recovery, reduce their dependence on costly consultants, and prioritize the highest need projects, without having to take out expensive loans or wait years for reimbursement.

For the first time, states are incentivized to make their own investments in mitigation, robust state rainy day funds, and private insurance policies.

This legislation also makes critical reforms to federal permitting and procurement processes to speed up rebuilding projects and eliminate unnecessary delays.

In addition, the FEMA Act of 2025 establishes a Recovery Task Force charged with closing out more than 1,000 lingering disaster declarations dating back to Hurricane Katrina and directs FEMA to improve coordination across all federal agencies involved in disaster recovery.

The FEMA Act of 2025 makes commonsense changes to help disaster aid work better for survivors, while saving taxpayer dollars.

Disaster survivors will complete a single, streamlined application when applying for assistance, significantly reducing the paperwork burden.

FEMA must provide clear, understandable notices to disaster survivors, ending the confusion caused by complex and jargon-filled denial letters.

It directs the FEMA Administrator to apply practical, survivor-focused solutions that both speed assistance to disaster victims and reduce overall costs to taxpayers.

The FEMA Act of 2025 removes disincentives that have discouraged donations from charities, religious organizations, and the public, ensuring more non-federal support is available for disaster survivors.

States are given more flexibility to determine the best emergency housing solution for a particular disaster.

The FEMA Act of 2025 strengthens efforts to protect communities before a disaster occurs.

The FEMA Act 2025 overhauls FEMA’s existing mitigation framework to accelerate project timelines, reduce long-term disaster costs, and ensure greater coordination across federal funding streams, so states can more effectively leverage resources.

States can pre-vet mitigation projects through a peer-review process to speed up funding when disaster strikes and combine funds from federal programs to expedite the completion of critical projects.

The FEMA Act of 2025 clarifies building code requirements, ensuring states retain the flexibility to tailor standards to the hazards they face.

The legislation also supports homeowners as they invest in cost-effective mitigation improvements, reducing long-term disaster costs.

The FEMA Act of 2025 prevents the politicization of disaster aid and demands greater transparency and accountability from FEMA.

The FEMA Act of 2025 strictly prohibits any political discrimination in providing disaster recovery assistance. It directs the Office of Management and Budget to establish a centralized public website that tracks disaster assistance funding across the federal government.

The bill mandates a full Government Accountability Office review of all FEMA regulations and policies to eliminate outdated, conflicting, and unnecessary rules.

It also requires an assessment of identity theft and disaster fraud risks, and directs reviews related to insurance coverage, the effectiveness of public alerting systems, and cost savings associated with the reforms in the discussion draft.

Opinion -- Bill Would Streamline Clean Water Act Permitting

     By the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, Sam Graves, chair

Legislation that cuts red tape, streamlines reviews, and provides greater regulatory certainty under Clean Water Act (CWA) permitting processes was approved by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today.

H.R. 3898, the Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today (PERMIT) Act, is led by Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Mike Collins (R-GA) and Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and incorporates many separate proposals that had been previously introduced by Chairman Collins and other T&I Committee members.  The provisions included in this combined legislation provide targeted, common-sense reforms that will strengthen the permitting process for permit seekers and holders, while providing clearer instruction and standards for permitting agencies.

“This bill will unleash America’s power to build by cutting red tape, streamlining permitting processes, and providing regulatory certainty, all while continuing to protect clean water. The legislation does not overhaul or roll back the Clean Water Act; it instead makes targeted reforms to the law informed by on-the-ground feedback. I want to thank Chairman Collins and my other Committee members for their excellent work and contributions to this legislation,” said T&I Chairman Graves.

“The PERMIT Act delivers much-needed reform to the Clean Water Act that will overhaul permitting processes and reduce burdens on permit seekers. As we enter a new era with a renewed focus on domestic energy production and growth, this legislation delivers the tools that our country needs to build faster, smarter, and safer,” said Subcommittee Chairman Collins. “When I was appointed as Chairman of the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee, I put myself on a mission to make our government more efficient and productive for the American people. With Chairman Graves’ leadership, and all members who introduced proposals, I am proud to say that we are doing just that with the PERMIT Act.”