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The official voice of West Florida Electric Cooperative:
Co-ops Back Bill to Speed Up FEMA Disaster Relief
Electric co-ops nationwide are supporting the bipartisan Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act of 2025. The bill aims to cut red tape, speed up disaster relief, and make FEMA an independent agency that reports directly to the president.
Currently, co-ops often wait years for FEMA reimbursements after hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires and other disasters which drives up the cost for rural communities. This bill would change that by:
• Faster payments: FEMA must reimburse emergency work within 120 days once 90% of costs are approved.
• Quick reviews: FEMA must review long-term project estimates in 90 days and release funds within 30 days of approval.
• Smarter rebuilding: Co-ops could strengthen damaged systems instead of rebuilding them exactly as before. 73307001
Supporters from both parties say reforms will cut bureaucracy and speed recovery. “Most co-ops are waiting years for reimbursement,” said Will Mitchell of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). “This would be a huge change.”
The bill still needs approval from the House, Senate, and President Trump. NRECA, which represents over 900 electric cooperatives, says it will keep pushing to ensure rural communities benefit.
