Federal Emergency Mobilization Accountability (FEMA) Workforce Planning Act

Summary · Congressional Research Service (nonpartisan)

This bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to develop and submit to Congress every three years a human capital operating plan to shape and improve FEMA’s workforce. Specifically, the plan must include performance measures to track staffing and training, an analysis of the current workforce and possible gaps in staffing or skills, and a plan of action to address such gaps. The plan must discuss the membership and training of the Surge Capacity Force, through which federal employees deploy in response to a catastrophic disaster. FEMA must submit the first plan within one year after the bill’s enactment and subsequent plans at least once every three years. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to submit a report analyzing whether FEMA’s plan meets the requirements of the bill, including any recommendations to ensure subsequent plans meet the requirements.