Summary

Executive Order 14397 does not create a new FEMA council or change FEMA’s day-to-day powers. Instead, it gives the existing Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council a little more time to continue its work. The order says the council will remain in place until 10 days after it submits its required report to the President, or May 29, 2026, whichever comes first. It also updates who handles certain legal and procedural functions tied to the council.

What the Order Does

The main purpose of this order is to further continue the FEMA Review Council. That council was originally created by Executive Order 14180 in January 2025 and was already continued once by Executive Order 14378 in January 2026. This new order extends it again for a short, limited period. In simple terms, the administration is keeping the council alive a bit longer so it can finish and submit its report.

New End Date for the Council

The order sets a clear stopping point. The council will end 10 days after the required report is submitted to the President, or on May 29, 2026, whichever happens first. That means the extension is not open-ended. It is tied either to the report being completed or to a final deadline, whichever comes sooner.

Oversight and Administration

The order says the Secretary of Homeland Security will perform the President’s functions for this council under the Federal Advisory Committee Act. In practice, this means certain administrative and procedural responsibilities connected to the council are handled through the Department of Homeland Security rather than directly by the President. The order says this must still be done under existing federal rules and procedures.

What It Replaces

Executive Order 14397 says that sections 1 and 2 of Executive Order 14378 are superseded by sections 1 and 2 of this new order. That means the earlier continuation order is partly replaced by this updated one. The new extension timeline and oversight rules now control.

Legal Limits and Standard Provisions

Like many presidential documents, this order includes standard legal language. It says the order does not override authority already granted by law to agencies or agency heads, and it does not change the Office of Management and Budget’s role in budgetary, administrative, or legislative matters. It also says the order must be carried out consistent with existing law and available funding, and that it does not create a private right to sue the government. Finally, the order says the Department of Homeland Security will pay the costs of publication.

Who This Affects

This order most directly affects:

• the FEMA Review Council
• the Department of Homeland Security
• officials involved in preparing and submitting the council’s report to the President

For most members of the public, the effect is indirect. The order is mainly about how long the council stays active and who handles certain procedural responsibilities while it finishes its work.

Arguments For and Against

Supporters might say this is a routine administrative step that gives the council enough time to complete its review and deliver its report properly. They may argue that short extensions can be better than shutting down a review before its work is finished.

Critics might say that repeated short-term extensions raise questions about why the council’s work was not completed earlier. They may also argue that the order does not itself tell the public much about what changes, if any, might come from the council’s recommendations.

TL;DR

Executive Order 14397 extends the FEMA Review Council for a limited extra period, until 10 days after its report is submitted or May 29, 2026, whichever comes first. It also says the Secretary of Homeland Security will handle certain legal functions for the council, replaces parts of the earlier continuation order, and includes standard language saying it does not create new legal rights or override existing law.

📄 Full Presidential Document (PDF): https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-03-27/pdf/2026-06075.pdf

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