The U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management recently held a hearing in response to newly introduced federal legislation (H.R. 2903and H.R. 2904). This legislation would set the stage for congress to reauthorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and two of its expiring programs, while establishing a clear framework for the modernization of its public alerts and warning systems. I was privileged to offer testimony alongside senior officials from FEMA, the Department of Homeland Security, and State and local emergency managers on October 13 to help inform federal lawmakers about how taxpayer revenue can be better leveraged to improve our nation’s disaster preparedness.