Senate committee advances Cameron Hamilton's nomination as FEMA administrator

The U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 8‑4 to move forward the nomination of Cameron Hamilton as the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Hamilton, who previously served as the acting head of FEMA under the Trump administration, was dismissed after testifying that the agency should remain operational. The committee’s approval signals bipartisan support for keeping FEMA in place despite earlier calls by the president to dismantle it. A full Senate vote is expected before the August recess.

Hamilton’s nomination follows a review that recommended preserving the agency while streamlining its procedures, reflecting a shift from earlier proposals to eliminate FEMA and underscoring the importance of a federal response capability for major disasters.