Central Louisiana News

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Gary Peters (D-MI) have introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at enhancing the preparedness of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) workforce to respond to natural disasters.

The bill, titled the FEMA Workforce Planning Act, focuses on improving FEMA's recruitment, retention, training, and deployment strategies for its workforce. It also emphasizes the importance of addressing staffing gaps within the agency.

"FEMA plays a vital role in a community’s recovery after natural disasters, but FEMA’s workforce must be given the tools to effectively do their job,” stated Dr. Cassidy, emphasizing the need for a well-equipped FEMA workforce.

Senator Peters echoed this sentiment, stating, “When natural disasters strike, FEMA is on the frontlines to help communities recover. This agency must ensure it has the workforce in place to meet the needs of any disaster.”

The proposed legislation would mandate FEMA to submit a human capital operating plan to Congress every three years, outlining recruitment and retention goals, workforce training strategies, and an analysis of existing staffing gaps. Furthermore, the bill would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the plan within six months of submission.

FEMA has encountered challenges in deploying staff with the necessary training and skills for disaster response. A report in October 2017 revealed that over half of FEMA staff were serving in roles for which they were not formally certified according to FEMA qualification standards.

The bipartisan effort led by Senators Cassidy and Peters seeks to address these workforce shortcomings within FEMA and ensure that the agency is well-prepared to provide effective assistance to communities impacted by natural disasters.