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This bill would help people and communities make buildings and homes stronger before disasters happen. It updates federal disaster mitigation rules so they better reflect modern building codes and safety standards. It also creates a pilot program that would give grants to states and local governments so they can help homeowners pay for upgrades that reduce damage from floods, wind, wildfires, earthquakes, tornadoes, and other hazards. The goal is to lower future disaster losses and reduce federal disaster costs over time.
- It changes how disaster mitigation programs use building codes by referring to the two most recently published editions of relevant safety codes, standards, and specifications.
- It creates a pilot program for “residential resilient retrofits,” which can include raising homes or utilities, floodproofing, building tornado safe rooms, seismic upgrades, wildfire protection, and wind-resistant improvements like stronger roofs and tie-downs.
- The Federal Emergency Management Agency could use up to 10% of the annual money available under the main hazard mitigation program to support this pilot.
- States and local governments that get the money must give priority to people who show financial need, and FEMA must start the pilot within one year and end it on September 30, 2030. FEMA must also send Congress a report after four years on results, costs, challenges, and estimated savings from avoided disaster damage.
Official Summaries
Promoting Resilient Buildings Act
This bill increases flexibility for predisaster mitigation assistance for building code activities, prohibits using certain loan funds for building code activities, and establishes a pilot program to fund residential resilience retrofits.
Under current law, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may provide predisaster hazard mitigation assistance to government entities for implementing the latest published editions of relevant building codes and standards. Also, FEMA must consider a government entity’s adoption of such building codes when determining whether to award it predisaster hazard mitigation assistance. The bill specifies that the building codes applicable in such instances are the two most recently published editions (i.e., either the current edition or the previous one).
Also, currently, under FEMA's Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund (STRLF) program, states and Indian tribal governments may provide loans to local governments for establishing and carrying out building codes and standards. The bill removes this authority, so STRLF loans may not be used for such building code-related activities.
Additionally, the bill establishes a pilot program for FEMA to provide grants to government entities that then provide the funding to individuals for residential resilience retrofits. The retrofit projects must reduce risk to homes from local natural hazards and individuals must demonstrate financial need. To implement the pilot program, FEMA may use up to 10% of the funds FEMA provides annually for predisaster hazard mitigation assistance. The pilot program terminates at the end of FY2030.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 388 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 388
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act with respect to the implementation of building codes,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 4, 2025
Mr. Cornyn (for himself and Mr. Fetterman) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act with respect to the implementation of building codes,
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 ``Promoting Resilient Buildings Act''.
SEC. 2. PREDISASTER HAZARD MITIGATION.
Section 203(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133) is amended--
(1) by striking the subsection heading and inserting
``Definitions'';
(2) by striking ``In this section, the term'' and inserting
the following:
``(2) Small impoverished community.--The term''; and
(3) by inserting before paragraph (2), as so designated,
``In this section:
``(1) Latest published editions.--The term `latest public
editions' means the 2 most recently published editions of
relevant consensus-based codes, specifications, and
standards.''.
SEC. 3. HAZARD MITIGATION REVOLVING LOAN FUND PROGRAM.
Section 205(f) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5135(f)) is amended--
(1) by striking paragraph (5); and
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (6), (7), and (8) as
paragraphs (5), (6), and (7), respectively.
SEC. 4. RESIDENTIAL RETROFIT AND RESILIENCE PILOT PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(2) Residential resilient retrofit.--The term ``residential
resilient retrofit''--
(A) means a project that--
(i) is designed to increase the resilience
of an existing home or residence using
mitigation measures that the Administrator
determines reduce damage and impacts from
natural disaster hazards and risks that are
most likely to occur in the area where the home
is located; and
(ii) to the extent applicable, are
consistent with--
(I) the 2 most recently published
editions of relevant consensus-based
codes, specifications, and standards,
including any amendments made to those
codes by State, local, or Indian tribal
governments; and
(II) specifications and standards
that, for the purpose of protecting
health, safety, and general welfare of
users of buildings against disasters--
(aa) incorporate the latest
hazard-resistant designs; and
(bb) establish criteria for
the design, construction, and
maintenance of residential
structures and facilities that
may be eligible for assistance
under the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121
et seq.); and
(B) includes--
(i) elevations of homes and utilities
within and around structures to mitigate
damages;
(ii) floodproofing measures;
(iii) the construction of tornado safe
rooms;
(iv) seismic retrofits;
(v) wildfire retrofit and mitigation
measures;
(vi) wind retrofits, including roof
replacements, hurricane straps, and tie-downs;
and
(vii) any other measure that meet the
requirements of subparagraph (A), as determined
by the Administrator.
(b) Establishment.--The Administrator shall carry out a residential
resilience pilot program through the program established under section
203 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance
Act (42 U.S.C. 5133) to make available assistance to States and local
governments for the purpose of providing grants to individuals for
residential resilience retrofits.
(c) Amount of Funds.--The Administrator may use not more than 10
percent of the assistance made available to applicants on an annual
basis under section 203 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133) to provide assistance under
this section.
(d) Timeline.--With respect to the pilot program carried out under
subsection (b), the Administrator shall--
(1) establish the pilot program not later than 1 year after
the date of enactment of this Act; and
(2) terminate the pilot program on September 30, 2030.
(e) Priority.--In carrying out the pilot program under this
section, the Administrator shall ensure that a State or local
government receiving assistance under the pilot program provides grants
to individuals that demonstrate financial need.
(f) Report.--Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a
report that includes--
(1) a summary of the grant awards and projects carried out
under this section;
(2) a detailed compilation of results achieved by the grant
awards and projects carried out under this section, including
the number of homes receiving retrofits, the types and average
costs of retrofits, and demographic information for
participants in the pilot program;
(3) an estimate of avoidance in disaster impacts and
Federal disaster payments as a result of the grant investments
carried out under this section, and whether that avoidance is
different than other mitigation projects funded under section
203 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133); and
(4) any identified implementation challenges and
recommendations for improvements to the pilot program
established under this section.
(g) Applicability.--This section shall only apply with respect to
amounts appropriated on or after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 5. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this Act or the amendments made by this Act shall be
construed to affect any program other than the predisaster hazard
mitigation program or the hazard mitigation revolving loan fund program
established under section 203 or 205, respectively, of the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133,
5135).
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