NCD letter to FEMA regarding ODIC

June 4, 2026

Robert Fenton Acting Administrator
Federal Emergency Management Agency
500 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20024 Dear Administrator Fenton:

I write on behalf of the National Council on Disability - an independent, nonpartisan federal agency charged with providing advice to Congress, the President, and other federal agencies on matters affecting the lives of people with disabilities. I am requesting a meeting to discuss the status of FEMA’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination (ODIC).

NCD has a long history of collaboration with FEMA. Our collaboration was strengthened with the passing of the Post Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (PKEMRA). PKEMRA required NCD and FEMA to work closely to improve the outcomes of people with disabilities before, during and after disasters.

PKEMRA mandated that “after consultation with organizations representing individuals with disabilities…the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall appoint a Disability Coordinator. The Disability Coordinator shall report directly to the Administrator…” ¹ In 2010, FEMA established the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination to that end.

Prior to the appointment of the Disability Coordinator and the establishment of ODIC many people with disabilities felt they were treated as expendable in a national emergency. ODIC changed public perception and policy by helping to facilitate the incorporation of the needs of people with disabilities into emergency management plans.

NCD was concerned when FEMA’s Director of ODIC left the agency in September 2025. Since his departure, NCD has not seen or been made aware of FEMA’s appointment of a successor to this crucial position.

I would appreciate a meeting with you at your earliest convenience to discuss the status of ODIC and the Disability Coordinator. Amy Nicholas, on my staff, will reach out to your office next week to find a mutually agreeable time to meet.

Respectfully,

Neil Romano
Acting Chairman