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119-s-320119th CongressWALLET

National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

Passed Senate

Summary

Reauthorizes and expands the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program to strengthen preparedness, retrofits, and early warning across federal, State, and Tribal governments. It adds Tribal participation, prioritizes inventories and incentives to retrofit high‑risk buildings and lifelines, and boosts early warning, forecasting, and post‑earthquake recovery planning.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Five-year funding for quake safety

If enacted, this would authorize funding for 2024–2028 to strengthen earthquake research and warnings. It would authorize $8.5 million a year for the Program, $54 million a year for NIST, and $54 million a year for NSF. It would authorize $92.427 million a year for USGS, with at least $36 million each year to finish the Advanced National Seismic System. These are authorizations only. Money would still need to be appropriated by Congress each year.

Faster quake alerts and more investigations

If enacted, the federal committee would work with the FCC Chair to broadcast earthquake early warnings more quickly. It would also require investigations of major earthquakes in the United States and abroad and add FEMA as a coordinating agency. These steps would aim to improve public alerts and future safety.

Stronger building standards and Tribal help

If enacted, this would add Tribal governments as full partners and expand work to design, evaluate, and retrofit buildings and lifeline systems. Agencies would set and share standards, guidelines, and model code language that target reoccupancy and faster functional recovery. When funds are available, the program would support inventories of high‑risk assets, share best practices, and give technical help for cost‑effective retrofits to State, local, and Tribal governments. The bill would define “functional recovery” and “earthquake forecast,” update losses to $14.7 billion a year and exposure to $107.8 trillion, and include tsunami effects. It would broaden the advisory committee to include Tribal voices and the scientific chair, and require agencies to carry out report recommendations, with progress due by September 30, 2025 and every two years.

Tougher quake rules for affordable housing

If enacted, this would change the earthquake wording in affordable housing law. It would shift from “safety” to “performance” and focus on “seismic‑related property damage” and faster post‑earthquake functional recovery time. This could push stronger rehab or retrofit goals for affordable housing projects. That could improve reentry after quakes but may raise upgrade costs for owners.

Guardrails on earthquake program funds

If enacted, agencies would only be able to use money that Congress both authorizes and appropriates for this program. Any canceled funds would be sent back to the Treasury and used to reduce the deficit. This would not provide new money by itself.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

CA • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]

    AK • R

    Sponsored 1/29/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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