Washington, DC – Today Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-01) and Congressman Garret Graves (R-LA) introduced the Disaster Survivors Fairness Act of 2022. This legislation would simplify the process for seeking assistance following a major disaster, expand communities’ access to hazard mitigation assistance so they can build resiliency for the future, and save taxpayer dollars by ensuring the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) resources are going to those who need the most help.

“It is no surprise that climate change, and the related severe weather events, are changing the emergency management landscape because today’s disasters cause more damage, have greater impacts on communities, and require more time to recover,” said Rep. Titus. “These new challenges to the recovery process make it imperative that FEMA cut red tape within its assistance programs, deliver resources to individuals and communities in need, and ensure we are being good stewards of taxpayer dollars. The Disaster Survivors Fairness Act is common-sense legislation that will do just that while also providing states with more flexibility to pursue post-disaster housing solutions that best accommodate their residents’ needs.”

“After a hurricane makes landfall, disaster victims are left to deal with an alphabet soup of federal agencies and each one has their own confusing requirements,” said Rep. Graves. “Our bill helps to cut through the red tape and simplify access to emergency aid. I’m proud to have worked on this legislation alongside Congresswoman Dina Titus to pave the way for a single disaster application so families can fill out one form and get back to the process of recovering. From speaking with folks across South Louisiana who know these issues all too well, one thing is clear: we need a disaster recovery system that looks like it was designed on purpose. This legislation accomplishes this and more.”

Background

The Disaster Survivors Fairness Act of 2022 would:

• Develop a universal application for federal disaster assistance for individuals in areas impacted by emergencies or major disasters.
• This application would simplify the process for individuals seeking assistance following a disaster and is a priority that was identified by stakeholders during Rep. Titus’ June 23rd roundtable.
• Remove the requirement that households must be rendered uninhabitable by a major disaster to be eligible for hazard mitigation assistance.
• This will ensure that communities impacted by major disasters can build resiliency to future ones, no matter how much damage is inflicted on an individual’s home.
• Authorize the President to provide direct assistance to individuals and households if applicants are unable to make use of financial assistance for repairs and when there is a lack of available resources for the repair of owner-occupied residences.
• This will save taxpayer dollars because it reduces the need for long-term sheltering, such as FEMA trailers, that can run as high as $300,000 per unit.
• Give the Administrator of FEMA the authority to implement the State-Managed Housing Pilot Authority until the issuance of final regulations.
• This gives States more flexibility to pursue housing solutions that work best for their residents and cut unnecessary red tape.

Full text of the bill can be found here.

A Section-By-Section summary of the bill can be found here.

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