6 U.S.C. § 313 — Federal Emergency Management Agency

(a) In general. The Federal Emergency Management Agency exists within the Department, headed by an Administrator. (b) Mission. (1) Primary mission. FEMA's main job is to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the Nation from all hazards — natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters — by leading and supporting a risk-based, complete emergency management system covering preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation. (2) Specific activities. To support this mission, the Administrator must: (A) lead the Nation's efforts to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the risk of natural disasters, terrorism, and other man-made disasters, including catastrophic incidents; (B) partner with state, local, and tribal governments, other federal agencies, the private sector, and nongovernmental organizations to build a national emergency management system that can effectively use the Nation's full resources; (C) build a federal response capability that can act rapidly and effectively when needed, to deliver assistance essential to saving lives or protecting property and public health and safety; (D) integrate FEMA's preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation duties to meet the challenges of a natural disaster, terrorism, or other man-made disaster; (E) build and maintain strong Regional Offices that work with state, local, and tribal governments and other entities to identify and address regional priorities; (F) under the Secretary's leadership, coordinate with the Coast Guard Commandant, the Director of Customs and Border Protection, the Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the National Operations Center, and other Department agencies and offices, to make full use of the Department's resources; (G) provide funding, training, exercises, technical assistance, planning, and other help to build tribal, local, state, regional, and national response capabilities, including communications capabilities; (H) develop and coordinate a risk-based, all-hazards preparedness strategy that builds both the common capabilities needed for any disaster and the specific capabilities needed for the highest-risk incidents; and (I) build the needs of children — including children in under-served communities — into disaster preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation work, including by appointing a technical expert who may consult outside organizations to help coordinate this. (c) Administrator. (1) The President appoints the Administrator, with the Senate's advice and consent. (2) The Administrator must be chosen from people who have (A) demonstrated ability in and knowledge of emergency management and homeland security; and (B) at least 5 years of executive leadership and management experience in the public or private sector. (3) The Administrator reports to the Secretary directly, without going through any other Department official. (4) Principal advisor on emergency management. (A) The Administrator is the top adviser to the President, the Homeland Security Council, and the Secretary on all emergency management matters. (B) Advice and recommendations. (i) When advising the President, the Council, or the Secretary on any matter, the Administrator must, as the Administrator sees fit, explain the range of preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation options available. (ii) The Administrator must give advice on a particular matter whenever the President, the Council, or the Secretary requests it. (iii) After first informing the Secretary, the Administrator may make recommendations to Congress on emergency management, as the Administrator considers appropriate. (5) Cabinet status. (A) The President may designate the Administrator to serve on the Cabinet during natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or other man-made disasters. (B) Nothing in this paragraph changes the Secretary's authority under this chapter.