Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act restructures FEMA

President George W. Bush signed the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act on October 4, 2006, establishing FEMA as a distinct entity within DHS with a direct reporting line to the President during emergencies. The law elevated the FEMA Administrator to principal advisor to the President on emergency management, restored preparedness functions to FEMA that had been stripped away when DHS was created, and required the Administrator to have relevant experience.