In the wake of major floods, survivors face considerable challenges navigating federal recovery programs from across more than 30 government entities, making it difficult to access support for serious needs such as temporary housing and property repair or replacement. The Disaster Survivors Fairness Act would implement a number of longstanding recommendations to simplify the recovery process. In particular, the legislation would direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in collaboration with other federal agencies, to develop a universal application to carry out the federal government’s suite of disaster assistance programs swiftly, efficiently, and equitably.

WHY WE LIKE IT

The aftermath of major disasters such as Hurricane Helene shows how our broken federal disaster system makes it exceedingly difficult for survivors to receive critical help when they need it most. Among other reforms, H.R.1245 aims to simplify application steps for individuals and households seeking aid after a significant disaster. Disaster survivors would only need to complete one application to apply for assistance from multiple federal programs, consolidating duplicative steps, improving transparency and efficiency for taxpayers, and ultimately helping survivors access relief faster while driving more resilient recoveries.

Photo courtesy of U.S. Army, Spc. Samuel Herman