AIA Champions Bipartisan FEMA Reform, Urges Passage of H.R. 4669

WASHINGTON – April 24, 2026 – The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is supporting for the bipartisan Fixing Emergency Management for Americans Act of 2025. In a letter sent to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, AIA urged Congress to pass H.R. 4669 to reform federal emergency management and better prepare communities for extreme weather events.

Representing more than 101,000 architects and design professionals, AIA highlighted that this legislation reflects architects' ethical responsibility to protect public health, safety, and welfare. AIA’s letter underscores the urgent need for reforms that empower design professionals to more effectively support communities in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.

“Architects bring a critical perspective to disaster preparedness and response,” said 2026 AIA President, Illya Azaroff, FAIA, in his letter to Congress. “As disasters grow in frequency and complexity, architects stand ready to help shape FEMA reform. We urge swift, bipartisan action on H.R. 4669 in the 119th Congress.”

AIA strongly supports the reforms outlined in H.R. 4669, particularly:

• Establishing FEMA as an independent, cabinet-level agency (Sec. 11, Sec. 12) reporting directly to the President, with a Senate-confirmed Administrator and vetted/experienced professional leadership across headquarters and regional hubs — essential for year-round risk reduction, response, and recovery;
• Streamlining transparency and depoliticizing disaster declarations (Sec. 403, Sec. 416) and appeals to ensure that assistance reaches communities based on demonstrated need, with transparent, consistently applied standards;
• Protecting and strengthening FEMA's mitigation programs and Public Assistance (Sec. 205, Sec. 207) — with consistent support for above-code construction standards, pre-disaster resilience investments, and nature-based solutions that reduce long-term risk and cost to taxpayers;
  o    Supporting the use of latest applicable hazard-resistant building codes (Sec. 101)
  o    Ensure the latest hazard-resistant codes are applied to each building typology and size (i.e. Sec. 104)
  o    Support for Sec. 303 which updates applicable building codes.
• Ensure transparency in how funds are allocated and assess Interagency collaboration, communications and Mitigative measure success (Sec. 109, Sec. 302, Sec. 308, Sec. 417) so that every eligible community — regardless of political geography — receives the assistance it is entitled to under law.

AIA is calling on policymakers to take action on H.R. 4669, particularly given the growing impact of disasters across the United States. Between 2011 and 2024, 99.5% of congressional districts experienced at least one federally declared major disaster due to extreme weather. 

Learn more about AIA’s efforts to advocate for a stronger, more impactful FEMA.