Chuck Edwards U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 11th district | Official U.S. House Headshot
Chuck Edwards U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 11th district | Official U.S. House Headshot
U.S. Congressman Chuck Edwards has introduced the Disaster Survivors Fairness Act, aiming to simplify the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) application process and enhance coordination among federal agencies to better support disaster victims. Congresswoman Dina Titus is co-leading this bipartisan initiative.
Edwards commented on his motivation for the bill, stating, “After Helene hit Western North Carolina, I saw firsthand how complicated and difficult the disaster recovery assistance applications were. 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.”
Titus highlighted the increasing severity of disasters due to climate change: "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. 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."
The proposed legislation includes several key measures:
- Directs FEMA's administrator to create a universal application for federal disaster aid applicable across various agencies.
- Streamlines presidential authority in providing direct assistance for home repairs following major disasters.
- Mandates FEMA's administrator study housing assistance related to disasters.
- Requires an online tool displaying individual assistance applications data.
- Calls for a report detailing average individual assistance by household income levels.
Additionally, it permits reimbursement by FEMA for states' costs incurred while sheltering emergency response personnel.
The bill has received endorsements from organizations such as American Flood Coalition Action, National Association of Counties, and National Association of Emergency Managers.
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