There is only a passing reference to FEMA in new PPD-8!
That reference [italics mine] follows:
Nothing in this directive is intended to alter or impede the ability to carry out the authorities of executive departments and agencies to perform their responsibilities under law and consistent with applicable legal authorities and other Presidential guidance. This directive shall be implemented consistent with relevant authorities, including the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 and its assignment of responsibilities with respect to the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
I have previously examined in some detail PKEMRA 2006 on this blog and elsewhere. The text is available on the home page of this blog. See key statutes.
There were some assignments of new duties to FEMA in PKEMRA 2006 but almost no new legal authority to do anything or focus FEMA largely due to the fact that PKEMRA 2006 was written primarily by the Homeland Security Committee of the House of Representatives and that committee lacks oversight of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act! Thus a fundamental disconnect continues thanks to the incompetence of the Congress in organizing itself.
It will be interesting to see who reviews activities under the new PPD-8 to determine whether they are inconsistent with PKEMRA 2006. Not a small job IMO.
