A review council is expected to announce and publicly vote Thursday on recommendations to reform the Federal Emergency Management Agency, The Hill reported.
The task force, convened by President Donald Trump in January to consider changes to the agency, has recommended that FEMA not be abolished despite Trump's assertion that it should be eliminated.
Trump has also said states should take on more responsibility for responding to and preparing for extreme weather and other disasters.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has reportedly slashed the report from 160 pages to about 20, leaving council members and other emergency management leaders concerned that some of the recommendations about the country's disaster preparedness won't make it into the final copy, according to three people who spoke with The Associated Press last month.
FEMA is part of the Department of Homeland Security.
The council, appointed by Trump and made up almost exclusively of members from Republican-led states who support significant FEMA reforms, finished a draft report in early November of over 160 pages, according to the three people.
A table of contents obtained by the AP showed the initial draft included nine "key principles," including reforming public assistance, flood insurance, and direct assistance to survivors, and improving rural resilience.
It also included sections on potential reforms to the Stafford Act of 1988, which dictates most of FEMA's authority, and proposes a phased approach to the changes to prepare state and local governments.
Many of the expected recommendations would require action by Congress because the Stafford Act lays out most of FEMA's responsibilities. Other changes could be implemented by Trump or the FEMA administrator.
After submitting the draft in early November to DHS for comment and approval, council members learned Noem's office cut the report to about 20 pages, the former officials said.
Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary for public affairs, recently told The New York Times that Noem, the chairwoman of the task force, had not altered the draft report's findings.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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