Gillen Questions Former FEMA Chief on Nonprofit Security Grant Deadlines and Flood Resiliency in Coastal Communities
A video of the full remarks is available HERE.
WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Laura Gillen (NY-04) questioned former Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate in a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing on the agency's abbreviated application timeline for the FY2026 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). The application period gave New York houses of worship just ten days—including the Fourth of July holiday weekend—to apply for critical security funding.
Fugate said he would not oppose extending the application deadline and urged Congress to also consider legislation allowing NSGP funding to remain available into the next fiscal year, warning that otherwise the funds could expire before grants are awarded.
Gillen also questioned Fugate about strengthening flood resilience along critical roadways in coastal communities like Long Island, where flooding can impede emergency response and evacuation efforts. Fugate emphasized that resilient transportation infrastructure is essential for public safety and that roads should be built to withstand future climate risks so that taxpayers are not funding repairs after increasingly severe storms.
On questioning about extending the NSGP deadline:
Rep. Gillen: “I'm concerned that FEMA still has not awarded fiscal year 2025 nonprofit security grants on a timely basis, leaving vulnerable communities waiting. And second, while FEMA recently announced the fiscal year 2026 process, it gave states less than 30 days to review and submit all their applications.
And as a result, New York State opened its portal on July 1st and then closed it on July 10th. So it gave houses of worship just ten days to apply over the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Mr. Fugate, do you agree that FEMA should extend the deadline for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program and do everything possible to give houses of worship a fair chance to apply for this funding?”
Administrator Fugate: “I wouldn't oppose it. As FEMA Administrator, I try to make it happen, but you got to remember we had Secretary [Noem] that shut down anything over $100,000, and they've got a tremendous backlog to cover. And also, these grants have to be spent within the fiscal year. So in addition to telling FEMA to extend it, [Congress] also needs to consider legislation to extend the funding into the next fiscal year so they don't die at the end of this calendar year.”
On questioning about the importance of federal investment in flood resilience:
Rep Gillen: “Mr. Fugate, as a former first responder and former administrator of FEMA, how important is it to the safety and well-being of Americans, particularly those in coastal communities like in my district, that the federal government invest in flood resiliency along our major travel corridors?”
Administrator Fugate: “Well, it's like asking, should the lights be on? You got to have it. If I can't get there, I can't respond to it. Roads are critical infrastructure, just like power.
Rep. Gillen has consistently fought for greater investments in flood resilience for Long Island. She previously fought to include an amendment in the FEMA Act that would require the FEMA Administrator to report to Congress on the national need for major flood resiliency investments to safeguard key travel corridors. It would also require FEMA to issue recommendations to Congress on ways to reduce flooding and secure our roadways.
Rep. Gillen recently co-led a bipartisan letter calling for FEMA to extend the NPSG deadline, which would allow New York nonprofits and houses of worship the appropriate amount of time to apply for this critical funding.
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