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
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).