Guaranteed Disaster Assistance Act

119th Congress Introduced by Brittany Pettersen

The bill makes the hazard mitigation program under the Stafford Act mandatory, replacing “may” with “shall” for federal and state participation in disaster risk reduction.

Introduced in House

Summary of HR 10002 (119th Congress) – Guaranteed Disaster Assistance Act

Purpose and intent

The bill amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to ensure mandatory implementation of a specific hazard mitigation program.

Official title: Guaranteed Disaster Assistance Act.

Introduced by Representative Brittany Pettersen with a House referral to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Referred to as of July 30, 2026.

Key provisions

Hazard mitigation program mandate:

Section 404(a) of the Stafford Act currently allows (rather than requires) presidential action by stating, “The President may …”
The bill amends this section to replace “may” with “shall,” thereby mandating the President to carry out the hazard mitigation program under the Stafford Act.

Textual amendment:

The precise change is to strike the word “may” and insert “shall” in the sentence that authorizes the hazard mitigation program, making participation and execution compulsory.

Who or what is affected

Federal level:

The President and the executive branch, specifically the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which administers the Stafford Act programs, would be legally obligated to implement the hazard mitigation program as described in the act.

Public and state/local governments:

States, local governments, and tribes that interact with FEMA for disaster relief and mitigation funding would operate under a mandatory program rather than a discretionary one.

Individuals and property:

Hazard mitigation measures funded or promoted under this program could directly affect communities by prioritizing preventive actions (e.g., resilient infrastructure, floodplain management, retrofitting) to reduce disaster risk and long-term costs.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Status: Introduced on July 30, 2026 and referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Action path: If advanced, the bill would need passage in the House, and then consideration and passage in the Senate, followed by the President’s signature to become law.

No explicit funding levels or implementation deadlines are included in the provided text; the core change is the mandatory language shift in Section 404(a).

Key considerations and potential impact

Policy shift:

Changes a discretionary program (the President “may” implement) into a mandatory obligation (“shall” implement), which could accelerate and expand hazard mitigation activities following disasters.

Administrative implications:

May require additional administrative resources, planning, and coordination to ensure compliance with the mandatory obligation across federal, state, and local partners.

Fiscal implications:

The bill does not specify funding amounts; making mitigation program participation mandatory could influence future appropriations and budgeting for hazard mitigation activities.

If you’d like, I can compare this bill’s proposed language to the current Stafford Act text to highlight the exact statutory shift, or outline potential political and budgetary implications based on historical cost estimates for hazard mitigation programs.