Congresswoman Dina Titus today co-sponsored reintroduction of the bipartisan Disaster Survivors Fairness Act to simplify the application system for assistance following a major disaster, expand communities’ access to hazard mitigation assistance, and ensure that Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) resources are directed to those who need help the most after a disaster.

“Because of climate change, today’s disasters are becoming more severe, more destructive, and more costly, as we saw in last year’s Hurricane Helene that devastated whole communities,” said Congresswoman Titus who is a member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee overseeing FEMA. “This legislation cuts red tape and streamlines the delivery of FEMA resources to individuals and neighborhoods. It gives FEMA more authority to direct repair assistance to homeowners and helps families rebuild homes that are more resilient to disasters. This legislation makes the most of FEMA resources so people can rebuild their lives after a major disaster.”

“After Helene hit Western North Carolina, I saw firsthand how complicated and difficult the disaster recovery assistance applications were,” said Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC-11), sponsor of the Disaster Survivors Fairness Act. “Many folks had to apply to multiple agencies, including FEMA, the SBA, and USDA, for disaster assistance, each of which had their own extensive applications. Creating a universal application so disaster victims only need to submit one application to be eligible for all federal aid, is an important step toward making sure we are prioritizing the people and not the bureaucracy after disaster strikes.”

The members were joined by Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA-2), Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-HI-2), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA-32), and Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO-2) as original cosponsors.

Background:

The bipartisan Disaster Survivors Fairness Act, which was reported out of T&I by a voice vote during the 118th Congress, includes a series of reforms to improve disaster assistance by:

• Creating a universal application for federal disaster assistance and enabling federal agencies to share relevant disaster assistance information with each other;
• Giving FEMA new authority to significantly expand the agency’s ability to fund mitigation projects that make disaster-damaged homes more resilient;
• Expanding the types of repairs FEMA may approve for disaster damaged homes and authorizes FEMA to provide direct repair assistance to homeowners;
• Authorizing FEMA to reimburse states that implement their own innovative post-disaster housing solutions;
• Requiring FEMA to develop new post-disaster solutions for renters and share them with Congress;
• Supporting efforts to shelter working emergency response personnel immediately following a disaster; and
• Requiring FEMA and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to complete a series of reports and studies that identify additional challenges regarding the administration of post-disaster assistance for survivors and boost transparency.
  

The legislation is supported by the following organizations: American Flood Coalition Action, National Association of Counties (NACo), and National Emergency Management Association (NEMA).