FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: June 11, 2026
Contact: Hamza Akhtar
Email: hamza@rokksolutions.com
SmarterSafer Submits Comments Supporting FEMA Council Recommendations on Flood, Mitigation, and Fiscal Policy
Coalition Urges Policymakers to Prioritize Pre-Disaster Mitigation, Modernize Flood Risk Management, and Protect Taxpayers
Washington, DC – June 11, 2026 – The SmarterSafer Coalition (SmarterSafer) has submitted comments for the record to the Department of Homeland Security in response to the FEMA Review Council‘s final report to the President, released May 7. Established under Executive Order 14180, the Council was tasked with evaluating FEMA’s disaster preparedness, response capabilities, and recovery programs, and recommending reforms to strengthen the nation’s resilience.
SmarterSafer expressed broad support for the report’s emphasis on mitigation, resilience, and long-term fiscal sustainability, while urging policymakers to go further in prioritizing pre-disaster investment. The letter highlights that while the Coalition is “open to proposals that enhance the role of states in program administration, any such changes should preserve robust federal oversight of state management and maintain the long-standing federal commitment to cost sharing under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.”
The Coalition backed the report’s call to continue implementing Risk Rating 2.0, improve flood mapping, and modernize the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which has seen 35 short-term reauthorizations and currently carries approximately $22.5 billion in debt. Additionally, SmarterSafer emphasized that risk-based pricing must be paired with affordability assistance and mitigation support to protect vulnerable households.
“SmarterSafer broadly supports the Council’s direction, and we’re encouraged to see recommendations on updated flood mapping, streamlined program delivery, and improved risk communication,” SmarterSafer Executive Director, Chris Brown notes, “we hope Congress can build on this foundation, protect pre-disaster mitigation funding, and ensure that the reforms strengthen communities without creating new barriers for the communities least equipped to navigate federal programs.”
About SmarterSafer
SmarterSafer.org is a national coalition that is made up of a diverse chorus of voices united in favor of environmentally responsible, fiscally sound approaches to natural catastrophe policy that promote public safety. The coalition believes that the Federal government has a role in encouraging and helping homeowners to undertake mitigation efforts to safeguard their homes against natural disasters. At the same time, the coalition opposes measures that put people’s lives at risk at the expense of taxpayers. Measures such as subsidizing artificially low rates for homeowners’ insurance policies help to encourage construction in environmentally sensitive and unsafe areas. The coalition is working to ensure that Congress does not incentivize people to live in harm’s way in places prone to hurricanes and floods.
For more information on the SmarterSafer Coalition, please contact hamza@rokksolutions.com.
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