Bill Summary
The "Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities for All Act of 2025" seeks to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act by implementing new requirements for funding predisaster hazard mitigation. The key changes include:
1. **Funding Allocation**: The act mandates that disaster relief funds be allocated directly to states and tribal governments based on a new formula that considers population, vulnerability to natural hazards, and ensures a minimum allocation for Indian tribal governments.
2. **Project Eligibility**: It specifies that funds must be used for cost-effective projects aimed at reducing injuries, loss of life, and property damage, with the possibility for the President to approve projects outside of recommendations from governors in extraordinary circumstances.
3. **State Distribution**: States receiving these funds are required to distribute at least 50% to local governments for recommended projects, ensuring that a significant portion of the funds directly benefits local initiatives.
4. **Separate Eligibility Criteria**: The receipt of funds for a project under this act will not affect eligibility for other funding under different sections of the Stafford Act, promoting broader access to disaster relief resources.
Overall, the legislation aims to enhance disaster preparedness and resilience at both state and local levels, ensuring that communities are better equipped to handle natural hazards.
Possible Impacts
Here are three examples of how the "Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities for All Act of 2025" could affect people:
1. **Improved Community Resilience**: By emphasizing predisaster hazard mitigation, the legislation aims to fund projects that reduce injuries and property damage from natural disasters. Communities that invest in infrastructure improvements (like flood defenses or seismic retrofitting) will likely experience fewer injuries and less disruption during disasters. This can lead to safer living environments and potentially lower insurance costs for residents.
2. **Equitable Distribution of Funds**: The bill introduces a funding formula that allocates resources based on population and vulnerability to natural hazards. This means that states with higher populations and those that are more vulnerable to risks will receive more support. As a result, marginalized communities that are often disproportionately affected by disasters could gain better access to resources for disaster preparedness, leading to improved safety and recovery outcomes.
3. **Direct Support for Tribal Governments**: The legislation ensures that Indian tribal governments receive a minimum of $75 million in financial assistance. This provision could enhance the capacity of tribal communities to implement hazard mitigation projects tailored to their specific needs. By empowering these communities, the bill fosters greater self-determination and resilience, allowing tribal governments to protect their people and preserve their infrastructure.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4560 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4560
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act to provide requirements relating to the funding of
predisaster hazard mitigation, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 21, 2025
Mr. Figures (for himself and Mr. Edwards) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act to provide requirements relating to the funding of
predisaster hazard mitigation, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Building Resilient Infrastructure
and Communities for All Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. PREDISASTER HAZARD MITIGATION.
(a) In General.--Section 203 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c) by striking ``or local government''
in each place it appears;
(2) in subsection (d)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in subparagraph (A) by striking ``not
fewer than five local governments to receive
assistance under this section'' and inserting
``projects to receive assistance under this
section that are cost-effective and designed to
reduce injuries, loss of life, and damage and
destruction of property, including damage to
critical services and facilities''; and
(ii) by striking subparagraph (C);
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (A) by striking ``in
providing assistance to local governments under
this section, the President shall select from
local governments recommended by the Governors
under this subsection.'' and inserting ``a
State that receives funds under this section
may use such funds only for projects
recommended under paragraph (1)(A)''; and
(ii) by striking subparagraph (B) and
inserting the following:
``(B) Presidential approval.--The President may
approve a project that has not been recommended by a
Governor under this subsection as an eligible use of
funds if the President determines that extraordinary
circumstances justify the selection and that making the
selection will further the purpose of this section.'';
and
(C) in paragraph (3) by striking ``the President
may select, subject to the criteria specified in
subsection (g), any local governments of the State to
receive assistance under this section.'' and inserting
``such State may not receive funds under the formula
described in subsection (f)(2).'';
(3) in subsection (f)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``on a competitive basis''
and inserting ``to a State or an Indian tribal
government through a direct allocation based on
the formula described in paragraph (2)''; and
(ii) by striking ``and in accordance with
the criteria in subsection (g)'';
(B) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the
following:
``(2) Formula.--In providing financial assistance under
this section, the President shall distribute to each eligible
State available funds for a fiscal year using the following
formula:
``(A) Thirty-three percent of available funds shall
be distributed equally among each eligible State.
``(B) Thirty-three percent of available funds shall
be distributed among each eligible State in a
proportion that gives preference to such States that
have a higher population, using data from the most
recent census of the United States.
``(C) Thirty-three percent of available funds shall
be distributed among each eligible State in a
proportion that gives preference to States that have
the most vulnerability to natural hazards in the
critical infrastructure of such States.'';
(C) in paragraph (3)(B) by striking ``on a
competitive basis pursuant to paragraph (1)'' and
inserting ``under this section''; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Tribes.--In providing financial assistance under this
section, the President shall ensure that the amount of
financial assistance made available to an Indian tribal
government is not less than $75,000,000.
``(5) Suballocation.--Each State that receives assistance
under this section shall distribute--
``(A) not less than 50 percent of the funds
distributed under this subsection to the local
government carrying out a project recommended under
subsection (d)(1); and
``(B) any funds not distributed under (A) to
activities described in subsections (b) and (e) of
section 203.
``(6) Additional eligibility for hazard mitigation
assistance.--The receipt of funds for a project under this
section may not be considered in determining eligibility for
funding under section 404 for such project.'';
(4) in subsection (g)--
(A) by striking ``In determining whether to provide
technical and financial assistance to a State or local
government under this section, the President shall
provide financial assistance only in States that have''
and inserting ``The President may only provide
financial assistance under this section to a State that
has''; and
(B) by striking ``of such States'' and all that
follows through ``in consultation with State and local
governments.'' and inserting ``of such States.''; and
(5) in subsection (h) by striking ``mitigation activities
approved by the President'' and inserting ``mitigation
activities under this section''.
(b) Hazard Mitigation.--Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(h) Additional Eligibility for Predisaster Hazard Mitigation
Assistance.--The receipt of funds for a project under this section may
not be considered in determining eligibility for funding under section
203 for such project.''.
<all>