House Committee Approves FEMA Reform Bill with Key Provisions Sought by Electric Co-ops

ARLINGTON, Va. - National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO Jim Matheson today issued the following statement in support of the bipartisan Fixing Emergency Management for Americans Act of 2025, which passed the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee with key provisions sought by electric cooperatives.

"Electric cooperatives are among the first to respond when disaster strikes and work tirelessly to restore power in some of the hardest-hit and most remote communities. FEMA plays a critical role in these efforts," Matheson said. "This strong bipartisan committee vote is an important step towards a stronger, more responsive FEMA that helps co-ops rebuild faster and reduces the post-disaster financial burden on rural families and businesses.

"The FEMA Act of 2025 is a vital step toward a smarter FEMA-one that protects taxpayer dollars and empowers local communities. We thank Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larson for leading this effort."

As a result of sustained advocacy by electric cooperatives, the legislation would:

• Establish an expedited timeline for the reimbursement of emergency work.
• Streamline the process for approving and executing permanent work to repair, restore, reconstruct or replace critical facilities that are damaged or destroyed by a major disaster.
• Improve access to resiliency funding to help enhance reliability in preparation for future disasters.
• Allow for reimbursement of loan interest that is incurred during long FEMA processing timelines.

Matheson also sent a letter yesterday to the committee detailing NRECA's support for the legislation and urging strong support by the full House.

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association is the national trade association representing nearly 900 local electric cooperatives. From growing suburbs to remote farming communities, electric co-ops serve as engines of economic development for 42 million Americans across 56 percent of the nation's landscape. As local businesses built by the consumers they serve, electric cooperatives have meaningful ties to rural America and invest $15 billion annually in their communities.

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