The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) coordinates the federal government's role in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. President Jimmy Carter created it in 1979 by combining scattered federal disaster and civil defense programs into one agency, and it has been part of the Department of Homeland Security since 2003. In most disasters, federal aid follows a state or tribal request and a presidential declaration, and it supplements state and local efforts.
FEMA is a relatively young agency, but federal disaster relief in the United States is more than two centuries old. The first federal disaster relief law came in 1803, after a fire swept through Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in December 1802. Congress didn't send money, though. It gave the town's merchants relief by suspending their bond payments for several months.
For roughly the next 150 years, Congress mostly handled disasters one at a time, passing separate relief measures as events happened. During the 20th century, new federal roles grew up alongside that approach. They included Cold War civil defense planning, federal fire prevention, a national flood insurance program created in 1968, and a disaster assistance office at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Disaster Relief Act of 1974 then created the presidential disaster declaration process that still shapes federal aid today.
By the late 1970s, emergency responsibilities were spread across several departments, which made coordination difficult for the states that relied on federal help. FEMA was built to fix that fragmentation.
FEMA was created to pull the federal government's scattered emergency functions into a single, independent agency. President Carter sent Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 to Congress, and Executive Order 12127 put it into effect on April 1, 1979. Executive Order 12148 followed on July 20, 1979, moving additional functions into the new agency and giving it a dual mission covering emergency management and civil defense.
According to the National Archives, the new agency absorbed six existing offices and programs:
That origin explains why FEMA's work reaches well beyond disaster aid, since flood insurance, fire programs, and preparedness were part of the agency from the start. It also explains a detail many people miss. FEMA began as an independent agency, not as part of a cabinet department.
FEMA's structure and authority have shifted several times, usually through acts of Congress or presidential decisions.
Several of these changes followed a major disaster or national crisis that put FEMA's structure under scrutiny, and the reform debate happening now fits that same pattern.
FEMA coordinates and funds federal support after the President declares an emergency or a major disaster, and that declaration usually starts with a request from the affected state or tribe. The process is set out in federal regulations at 44 CFR Part 206 and generally follows these steps.
That last step explains a lot of disaster coverage. A declaration might authorize Individual Assistance for households in one county while a neighboring county qualifies only for Public Assistance. Public Assistance helps governments pay for debris removal, emergency work, and repairs to public facilities. Many declarations also make hazard mitigation funding available to reduce damage from future events.
Federal aid in this system is supplemental. Under the Stafford Act, the federal share of Public Assistance is generally at least 75 percent of eligible costs. States and localities cover the rest unless the share is adjusted for an especially severe event. Outside of declared disasters, FEMA also runs the National Flood Insurance Program and operates through 10 regional offices.
So when a headline says a governor has requested a declaration, it means the federal process has started, not that federal aid has arrived.
As of October 2026, FEMA's future structure is under active review, but the Stafford Act framework and the declaration process described above remain in place.
The current review began with Executive Order 14180, signed January 24, 2025. The order created a FEMA Review Council and cited the federal response to Hurricane Helene as a reason for it. The council approved its final report on May 7, 2026, with 10 recommendations. Broadly, the report calls for:
The final report doesn't take a position on whether FEMA should stay in DHS. Council members acknowledged that many of the changes would require legislation.
Congress is working on a separate track. The Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act of 2025, H.R. 4669, would make FEMA an independent, cabinet-level agency again and overhaul several assistance programs. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved it 57 to 3 on September 3, 2025, but as of early October 2026, the full House hasn't voted on it.
FEMA also has new permanent leadership. The Senate confirmed Cameron Hamilton as Administrator on August 7, 2026, and he was sworn in on August 10.
For now, the most useful distinction is between what has been recommended and what has become law, since only the second changes how federal disaster aid works.
When was FEMA created, and by whom?
FEMA officially began operating on April 1, 1979, under President Jimmy Carter. It was created through Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978, and Executive Order 12127 and Executive Order 12148 completed the transfer of functions later that year.
Is FEMA part of the Department of Homeland Security?
Yes. FEMA has been part of DHS since March 1, 2003. Before that, it was an independent agency, and a bill pending in Congress would make it independent again if enacted.
What is the Stafford Act?
The Stafford Act is the federal law that governs presidential disaster declarations and most federal disaster assistance. It began as the Disaster Relief Act of 1974 and was renamed the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act in 1988.
Does FEMA decide when to respond to a disaster?
Generally, no. For most disasters, a governor or tribal chief executive requests a declaration, and the President decides whether to issue one. Emergency declarations can also be requested ahead of an expected event, such as an approaching hurricane.
Is FEMA being eliminated?
As of October 2026, no. A presidential review council has recommended a major restructuring, and Congress is considering a separate reform bill. Most significant changes would require new legislation.
If you're following the FEMA reform, check the primary sources behind the headlines to see what's actually changed.
When a story says FEMA has changed, check whether it describes a recommendation, a pending bill, or a law or rule that's actually in effect. Only that last category changes how federal disaster aid works, so the answer tells you whether the news affects the process described here.