23 Jan 2024 BPC Action-Supported Disaster Reform Bills in the 118TH Congress  in Infrastructure

The following bipartisan bills align with Bipartisan Policy Center disaster response reform recommendations and are endorsed by BPC Action. This list is continuously updated.  

H.R. 4070 and S. 1953, the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act

  • Led in the House by Reps. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), David Rouzer (R-NC), Clay Higgins (R-LA), Jerry Carl (R-AL), Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI), and Deborah Ross (D-NC)
  • Led in the Senate by Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Kennedy (R-LA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
  • Excludes from gross income any qualified catastrophe mitigation payment made under a state-based catastrophe loss mitigation program for damage done to such property by a windstorm, earthquake, or wildfire

H.R. 5940 and S. 1686, the Reforming Disaster Recovery Act  

  • Led in the House by Rep. Al Green (D-TX) 
  • Led in the Senate by Sens. Brian Schatz (D-HI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Patty Murray (D-WA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Jon Tester (D-MT), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Todd Young (R-IN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Alex Padilla (D-CA) 
  • Permanently authorizes and reforms HUD’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program 

H.R. 6311 and S. 3261, the National Coordination on Adaptation and Resilience for Security Act 

  • Led in the House by Reps. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Scott Peters (D-CA), John Curtis (R-UT), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) 
  • Led in the Senate by Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Michael Bennet (D-CO) 
  • Sets a National Adaptation and Resilience Strategy and Implementation Plan, establishes a Chief Resilience Officer in the White House, starts interagency working groups to streamline efforts, and creates a federal information hub 

S. 1858, the Disaster Assistance Deadlines Alignment Act  

  • Led by Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) 
  • Extends the application deadline to 60 days for individuals to apply for assistance under the Disaster Unemployment Assistance program to match the deadline for Individual and Household Assistance, thus reducing applicant confusion 

S. 1528, the Disaster Assistance Simplification Act 

  • Led by Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Rand Paul (R-KY), and James Lankford (R-OK) 
  • Amends the Stafford Act to require FEMA to establish a universal disaster application across federal agencies 

S. 3338, the Disaster Learning and Life Saving Act  

  • Led by Sens. Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) 
  • Creates an independent board to study the causes of disaster-related fatalities and property damage across the nation 

H.R. 5863, the Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act 

  • Led by Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) 
  • Extends rules for the treatment of certain personal casualty losses related to disasters and provides tax relief for losses due to wildfires and certain train derailments. This bill incorporates the text of the bipartisan H.R. 4970, the Protect Innocent Victims of Taxation After Fire Act, led by Reps. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Katie Porter (D-CA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Kevin Kiley (R-CA), Tom McClintock (R-CA), and Dan Newhouse (R-WA) 

H.R. 9609, the Disaster Loan Application Flexibility Act

  • Led by Reps. Joe Neguse (D-CO) and Mike Simpson (R-ID)
  • Modifies application deadlines and communication requirements for SBA disaster loans following a disaster declaration

H.R. 9610, the Natural Disaster Loan Interest Relief Act

  • Led by Reps. Joe Neguse (D-CO) and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ)
  • Codifies SBA’s policy of waiving the accrual of interest and payments for certain disaster loans for a year from the date the loan is issued

H.R. 9611, the Small Business Disaster Damage Fairness Act

  • Led by Reps. Joe Neguse (D-CO) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA)
  • Increases the minimum disaster loan amount from $14,000 to $50,000 as the threshold loan amount in which the SBA may require collateral to secure a loan
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