WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

HR 9292

Disaster Relief Integrity and Independence Act

119th Congress Introduced by Joe Neguse and 2 co-sponsors

Prohibits using political affiliation in federal disaster decisions and creates a defined timeline for evaluating and issuing major disaster declarations.

Introduced in House
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HR 9292

Overview

HR 9292 is a proposed federal bill in the 119th Congress that would amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. Its primary aims are to prevent federal disaster determinations, funding, or relief from being based on political affiliation, and to establish a formal timeline for processing requests for major disaster declarations. The bill has been introduced and referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, with co-sponsors Joe Neguse and Kim Schrier.

Main purpose and intent

  • Prohibit consideration of political affiliation in decisions related to:
    • Eligibility for federal disaster assistance
    • Allocation of federal disaster funding
    • Granting of federal disaster relief
  • Create a standardized response timeline for requests seeking major disaster declarations, aiming to improve predictability and timeliness in the declaration process.

Key provisions and changes (as outlined by the bill’s title and description)

  • Anti-political affiliation standard:

    • Federal disaster determinations and related funding decisions must not be based on a constituent’s or locality’s political affiliation, party membership, or ideological alignment.
    • The provision seeks to ensure that disaster aid decisions focus on objective criteria such as the severity of impact, population needs, risk, and statutory eligibility rather than political considerations.

  • Timeline for major disaster declarations:

    • Establish a defined process and deadline (timeline) for evaluating and issuing major disaster declarations in response to federally declared emergencies or significant events.
    • Aims to reduce delays and provide more predictable timelines for states and local governments seeking declarations.

  • Procedural alignment with Stafford Act:

    • The bill modifies procedures under the Stafford Act to implement its anti-political-affiliation requirement and declaration timeline, ensuring consistency with existing statutory structures for disaster relief.

Who would be affected

  • State, local, tribal, and territorial governments seeking federal disaster declarations and assistance.
  • Applicants and recipients of federal disaster funding and relief programs administered under the Stafford Act.
  • Federal agencies administering disaster response and relief programs, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and related authorities under the executive branch.

Potential impact

  • Equity and fairness: By prohibiting political affiliation as a basis for disaster decisions, the bill seeks to reduce potential bias in federal aid decisions and promote neutral, need-based eligibility.
  • Predictability and efficiency: A formal timeline for major disaster declarations could improve planning for states and communities, enabling faster access to resources or, alternatively, clearer expectations when declarations take longer.
  • Administrative considerations: Agencies would need to adjust review processes to ensure decisions are grounded in objective criteria and comply with the mandated timeline, potentially requiring new procedures, documentation standards, and monitoring.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduction and referral:
    • Introduced in the House on 2026-06-11.
    • Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for consideration and potential markup.
  • Status:
    • As of the latest action, awaiting committee consideration; no floor action or passage information provided.

Notes

  • The bill’s text would provide precise definitions (e.g., what constitutes “political affiliation” for purposes of the prohibition) and specify the benchmarks, criteria, and deadlines used to evaluate major disaster declarations.
  • The summary reflects information available in the action history and title; the exact statutory language could refine scope, exemptions, penalties, and enforcement mechanisms.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.