Part ofFEMA →

FEDERALhearing transcript

High Impact

Congressional Hearing on FEMA Disaster Readiness

Original title: ASSESSING FEMA'S READINESS FOR FUTURE DISASTERS

January 1, 2019

FEMA disaster preparedness emergency management Hurricane Maria homeland security

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

The Frame

What this does

This hearing examines the operational capacity and accountability of the federal agency responsible for disaster relief, which directly impacts the speed and quality of support provided to Americans during national emergencies.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

FEMA

The agency is subject to congressional oversight regarding its operational readiness and past disaster response performance.

Residents of Puerto Rico

The hearing specifically addresses the federal response to the 2017 hurricanes that impacted their recovery and infrastructure.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2019.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The House Committee on Homeland Security held a hearing on June 12, 2019, to evaluate the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) preparedness for future disasters. The discussion focused on lessons learned from the 2017 hurricane season, specifically the federal response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.

Key Facts

The hearing took place on June 12, 2019, in the Cannon House Office Building.
The primary subject was assessing FEMA's readiness for future disasters following the 2017 hurricane season.
Chairman Bennie G. Thompson cited the federal response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico as a primary point of concern regarding FEMA's past performance.
The committee received testimony from Acting FEMA Administrator Peter T. Gaynor and GAO Director Chris P. Currie.
The hearing included the submission of various documents into the record, including reports from Oxfam and Child Care Aware of America.
The committee members submitted follow-up questions for the record to Acting Administrator Gaynor.

Why It Matters

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the purpose of this hearing?

The committee met to evaluate how well FEMA is prepared to handle future disasters, using the 2017 hurricane season as a case study for improvements.

Who testified at the hearing?

The witnesses were Peter T. Gaynor, of FEMA, and Chris P. Currie, Director of Homeland Security and Justice at the Government Accountability Office ().

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Post-2017 Disaster Accountability

The hearing highlights a clear shift toward intense congressional scrutiny of FEMA's logistical and contractual performance following the 2017 hurricane season.

FEMA House Committee on Homeland Security

Connected Entities

personBennie G. Thompson“Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security”Map →

organizationHouse Committee on Homeland Security“Congressional committee conducting the hearing”Map →

personPeter T. Gaynor“Acting Administrator of FEMA”Map →

personChris P. Currie“Director of Homeland Security and Justice at the GAO”Map →

organizationGovernment Accountability Office“Federal watchdog agency providing testimony”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance80
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy65
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment30
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz20
Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools