Outgoing Louisiana Congressman Garret Graves’ name has surfaced as a possible choice to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Graves says he has spoken to Donald Trump’s transition team about various positions with the new administration, but FEMA director is not one he’s excited about.
“I’m just not a good bureaucrat. I think if you have an agency that’s buried, that has a really important mission, I think that I’d get pretty frustrated in that position,” Graves said.
Graves believes for FEMA to be effective in responding to disasters, it needs to be cabinet level agency and not tucked inside the U-S Department of Homeland Security.
“You need an agency that’s agile, one that can respond quickly, can be nimble, can respond to the different needs of communities,” Graves explained.
Graves is in his final days as a U-S Representative for Louisiana’s Sixth Congressional District. The Baton Rouge Republican was also a rumored candidate for U-S Transportation Secretary. But former Wisconsin Congressman and Fox Business Host Sean Duffy is Trump’s nominee.
Graves says he’s not a fan of FEMA’s structure and wants to see Trump implement reforms in his first term.
“Take FEMA out of the Department of Homeland Security and elevate it to a cabinet agency,” Graves said.
