Thompson, Sewell Introduce Legislation to Improve FEMA’s Disaster Recovery Mission
(WASHINGTON) – Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL) announced the introduction of the Deployed Emergency Professionals Lasting Over a Year (DEPLOY) Tax Relief Act (H.R. 9753), legislation to change current tax law to allow Federal Emergency Management Agency reservists – FEMA’s critical, on-call workforce that can quickly deploy when disaster strikes – to be able to work for over a year in a community recovering from disaster. Unfortunately, current tax law allows deductions of out-of-state business travel expenses for Federal employees only if the deployment is less than a year, often too short for large-scale disaster recovery efforts. Although there is an exemption for Department of Justice personnel, there is no current exemption yet for FEMA personnel.
“When disaster strikes, FEMA’s workforce should be allowed to do its already difficult job without bureaucratic issues – like the tax code – getting in their way,” said Congressman Thompson. “My District is recovering from devastating tornadoes, and we have benefitted from FEMA’s continued support; however, FEMA personnel being required to leave due to tax law limitations is counterproductive. That’s why I introduced the DEPLOY Tax Relief Act with Congresswoman Sewell to ensure that emergency management personnel can stay on the ground to assist with complex disaster recoveries for however long it’s necessary. It doesn’t help anyone when FEMA’s skilled workers are sent home in the middle of a disaster because of a nonsensical tax limitation, in fact we have heard from states that it can hamper recovery efforts. I thank Congresswoman Sewell for working with me on this legislation and hope we can move it in short order.”
“We in Alabama are no strangers to hurricanes, tornadoes and other natural disasters,” said Rep. Terri Sewell. “In times of crisis, it is our partners at FEMA who bring essential resources to our communities and help coordinate recovery efforts. The DEPLOY Tax Relief Act makes an important change to our tax code to ensure that federal emergency management personnel are able to stay on the ground for as long as they are needed. I thank Ranking Member Thompson for his leadership on this legislation and I am proud to be an original co-sponsor.”
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