Recognizing the critical missions of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and expressing concern that the systematic reduction of its career workforce has undermined those missions and endangered the safety and security of United States citizens.

Summary of Bill: HRES 1138 (119th Congress)

Purpose and Intent

• HRES 1138 is a House Resolution recognizing the critical missions of three federal agencies—FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency), and TSA (Transportation Security Administration).
• The measure expresses concern that a systematic reduction of the career workforce within these agencies has undermined their missions and jeopardized the safety and security of U.S. citizens.
• The resolution aims to spotlight workforce adequacy as essential to national security, emergency response, and infrastructure protection, signaling congressional concern and urging attention to staffing levels.

Key Provisions and Provisions Overview

• Formal recognition and statement of support: The resolution acknowledges the vital roles of FEMA, CISA, and TSA in emergency management, cybersecurity, and transportation security.
• Workforce concern language: It explicitly notes that reduced career staffing within these agencies has undermined mission effectiveness and raised safety and security risks.
• Expression of Congressional intent: While non-binding, the resolution usually requests or urges actions from relevant federal leadership or agencies to address workforce declines and to maintain or restore capable staffing levels.
• No new appropriations or binding mandates: As a resolution, it does not, by itself, create spending authority, new regulations, or enforceable mandates. Its effect is primarily to articulate concern and call for Congressional and executive attention.

Who/What Is Affected

• Agencies: FEMA, CISA, and TSA are central to the resolution’s focus. The concerns pertain to their career workforce adequacy and ability to fulfill mission requirements.
• Stakeholders: U.S. citizens relying on disaster response, cybersecurity resilience, and transportation security; federal workforce; and congressional committees that oversee these agencies.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

• Introduced and referred in March 2026:
  • Submitted to the House and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, with parallel referrals to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for consideration of provisions within each committee’s jurisdiction.
  • Subsequently referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management (March 27, 2026).
• Relevance of action history: The multiple referrals indicate cross-cutting concerns spanning homeland security, infrastructure, energy, commerce, and oversight, but as a resolution, it serves primarily to highlight concerns and coordinate potential future actions rather than impose immediate policy changes.

Potential Impact and Implications

• Symbolic and policy signaling: The resolution foregrounds workforce adequacy as a national-security and public-safety issue, potentially influencing hearings, reports, and agency planning discussions.
• Legislative momentum: By drawing attention in multiple committees, it could catalyze investigations, briefings, or recommendations aimed at restoring or protecting career staffing levels at FEMA, CISA, and TSA.
• Limitations: As a non-binding resolution, it does not authorize funding or mandate agency actions. Any concrete staffing or policy changes would require separate legislation or corresponding administrative or appropriations measures.

If you’d like, I can add a section comparing this resolution to prior related measures or provide a brief checklist of potential budgetary or policy levers agencies might propose in response.