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S 2247 119th Congress Senate Emergency Management

Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization Act

Introduced: July 10, 2025 Introduced by: Welch, Peter Democratic · Vermont See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 10, 2025
Introduced in Senate
Jul 10, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4316-4317)
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization Act or the Disaster AID Act

This bill increases, expedites, and facilitates access to disaster and hazard mitigation assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It also increases flexibility for compensating FEMA employees.

The bill allows FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program to provide greater assistance before recipients incur project costs (i.e., advance assistance), increase funding for management costs, and expand the use of simplified application procedures. Also, FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) may increase the maximum federal cost share from 75% to 85% for jurisdictions with a low capacity for investment in disaster resilience and increase the maximum advance assistance from 25% to 50% of project cost. 

The bill also allows PA and HMGP recipients to use unexpended management cost funds for additional disaster resilience activities.

In addition, under current law, FEMA may set aside funding from the Disaster Relief Fund for predisaster mitigation. The bill requires FEMA to set aside and use such funds to provide a minimum annual amount of grant funding for predisaster mitigation.

Also, the bill establishes grants for hazard mitigation offices and post-disaster FEMA training on obtaining assistance.

Furthermore, if obligated FEMA disaster funding is not disbursed within 26 business days, FEMA must explain the delay and provide status updates.

Additionally, the bill allows FEMA to simultaneously provide both retirement benefits and salary for certain employees. Also, it allows a tax deduction to FEMA employees for expenses while away from home in excess of one year.

What's happening now July 10, 2025

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4316-4317)

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Lobbying activity 8

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 2247: Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization Act. 119th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-2247/
MLA
"S. 2247: Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization Act." 119th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-2247/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 2247, 119th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-2247/.
Markdown link
[S. 2247: Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-2247/)
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