Appropriations panel restores BRIC, debates FEMA funding as members warn of $8 billion shortfall

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security debated cuts to FEMA and disaster programs and voted to restore the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program (BRIC) as lawmakers warned of an $8 billion shortfall in the Disaster Relief Fund.

The subcommittee adopted an amendment from Rep. Rosa DeLauro that reinstated BRIC funding after heated debate about the program's scope and eligibility. The amendment was adopted as amended following a separate second‑degree change that narrowed eligibility timing from seven to four years for certain awards but retained BRIC's core mitigation funding.

Why it matters: Members from states hit by wildfires, flooding and hurricanes said FEMA and BRIC funds are essential for rebuilding and mitigation. Rep. Jahana Hayes (D‑Conn.) and other Democrats said the administration’s proposed reductions risk leaving communities without the resources to respond to the next disaster season. Republicans and the subcommittee chair said reforms are needed but cautioned against locking the agency into inflexible funding rules.

Most important facts: Rep. Underwood (D‑Ill.) and other Democrats cited a FEMA internal review they said showed the agency was not ready for hurricane season and warned that reductions to FEMA staffing and mitigation grants would increase costs for states and impede recovery. Underwood said the bill as drafted “abandons our neighbors after a crisis.” Ranking members and other Democrats repeatedly pointed to a projected $8,000,000,000 deficit in the Disaster Relief Fund this fiscal year and urged replenishment.

Committee action and votes: The subcommittee adopted DeLauro’s amendment to reinstate BRIC (vote recorded in transcript after debate). A second‑degree amendment offered by the subcommittee chair narrowed the eligibility window for FY2026 awards and removed broad catchall language; that second‑degree amendment passed on a roll call. Lawmakers also approved language elsewhere in the manager’s package that added roughly $4,000,000,000 above the prior year for disaster accounts in the bill, according to the chair’s remarks.

Supporting details and member viewpoints: Members from Connecticut, North Carolina and Maine described local projects that used BRIC grants — drainage improvements, stormwater detention, power line resiliency — and said rescinding awards had left planned mitigation work in limbo. Rep. Don Beyer (D‑Va.) and others detailed the number of open FEMA awards and long reimbursement timelines for state projects. On the other side, the subcommittee chair urged caution, noting FEMA needs review and that authorizing committees are also examining reforms; he said Congress would consider any supplemental requests the administration submits if the DRF is depleted.

Process and next steps: The subcommittee’s actions restore BRIC for now but included tighter language the majority said would limit program overreach. Members signaled they expect additional negotiations on FEMA structure and potential supplemental funding as the fiscal year proceeds. Several lawmakers said they will press for clearer reforms to FEMA operations and timelier disbursement of disaster reimbursements.

Ending: Lawmakers left the markup with BRIC reinstated for FY2026 but divided on the scope of reform and the path to replenish FEMA’s disaster accounts, leaving further floor and conference negotiations likely before final appropriations are set.