Bill · H.R. 316· House(119-HR-316)
Natural Disaster Recovery Program Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 1/9/2025
- Last activity
- 1/10/2025 — Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- Sponsored by
- David Rouzer
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Natural Disaster Recovery Program Act of 2025 establishes a new Natural Disaster Recovery Reserve Fund to assist States and Indian Tribes with unmet needs following major disasters. It authorizes the President to provide assistance for various recovery needs, including infrastructure, housing, and economic revitalization. The bill adjusts how FEMA assesses disaster impacts and provides for direct assistance for home repairs to owner-occupied residences. Additionally, it modifies the appeals process for individuals seeking assistance and mandates several reports to Congress to ensure transparency.
Yes· 3 of 10
Would people with disabilities be better off under this?+6
The bill provides direct assistance for repairing residential infrastructure rendered inaccessible due to a disaster.
Does this make housing cost less?+6
The bill provides financial assistance for the repair and rebuilding of owner-occupied private residences.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+5
The bill targets unmet needs including food, clothing, and shelter which can assist low-income survivors.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Financial Assistance for Unmet Needs: The bill establishes a Natural Disaster Recovery Reserve Fund to provide money to States and Indian tribal governments specifically for unmet needs related to a major disaster (Section 2(a)(3)).
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Direct Home Repair Assistance: The President may provide direct assistance to individuals and households for the repair of owner-soccupied private residences, utilities, and residential infrastructure, or for accessibility needs for individuals with disabilities (Section 5(a)(1)(A)).
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Safety for Homeowners: The FEMA Emergency Home Repair Program includes provisions for minor repairs up to habitability so that survivors can safely shelter in place (Section 6(a)(1)).
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Enhanced Appeals Process: Applicants who appeal a determination of ineligibility for assistance will receive specific documentation, including inspection documents and a description of the reasons for the decision (Section 7(b)).
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Expanded Timeline for Assistance: The period for certain assistance is extended from 18 months to 24 months (Section 7(a)).
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Better Decision Making for Disasters: FEMA is instructed to give greater weight to severe local impact and whether multiple disasters have occurred in an area over the previous five years when making disaster declarations (Section 4(a)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Administrative Cost Caps: There are limits on how much grant money can be used for administration, which may affect how local governments manage funds (Section 2(c)(1) allows up to 13 percent, while Section 3(d)(2) limits it to 5 percent for certain unmet needs).
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Requirement for Auditor Certification: To receive the remaining 50 percent of an allocated grant, a State or Indian tribal government must submit a report containing a certification from an auditor that no funds were wasted or used inappropriately (Section 2(d)(2)(B)).
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Potential for Unused Funds to Return to the Treasury: If grant funds are not used within a certain period, they must be transferred back to the Secretary of the Treasury (Section 2(a)(4)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For People With Disabilities+6Good For Low Income Households+5Good For Rural Residents+4
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Economic Growth+5Improves Small Business Support+4
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Affordable Housing+6Improves Poverty Reduction+3
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+5
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Rural Development+4
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+3
- 1/10/2025
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- 1/9/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- Introduced in House