National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
Passed Senate
Summary
Post-earthquake functional recovery and community resilience are the main goals of this bill, which reauthorizes and expands the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act to include Tribal jurisdictions, secondary seismic hazards, stronger early warning, and a focus on retrofitting or replacing high‑risk buildings and lifeline infrastructure.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Faster earthquake alerts and warnings
If enacted, agencies would work with the FCC to get quake alerts on air faster. USGS would expand early warning to more high‑risk areas and improve detection to add warning time. Alerts would be sent quickly and in the main local languages. USGS would also coordinate with NOAA and FEMA on tsunamis and may issue aftershock forecasts when appropriate.
Help for inventories, inspections, and evacuations
If enacted, FEMA would include Tribal governments, do safety inspections, and support seismic performance checks. FEMA would expand outreach and help plan evacuations for earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, and related hazards. The lead agency would support tools to cut post‑quake fire risk and help governments build inventories of critical buildings and lifelines. Agencies could offer best‑practice guides and technical help on inventories, evaluations, and cost‑effective retrofits when funds are available and when requested by a State, local, or Tribal government.
Stronger building goals for reoccupancy
If enacted, the program would set standards, guidelines, and voluntary codes for buildings and lifeline infrastructure. The rules would cover design, construction, evaluation, and retrofit. They would include clear goals for reoccupancy and reducing downtime after a quake. Tsunami susceptibility would be part of the analysis, and agencies would publish and keep these guides up to date. Tribal engagement would be included in this work.
Five‑year funding and tighter controls
If enacted, the bill would authorize yearly funding for FY2024–FY2028: $8.5 million for the Program, $54 million for NSF, $5.9 million for NIST, and $92.427 million for USGS. At least $36 million each year would go to finish the Advanced National Seismic System. These are authorizations; Congress would still need to appropriate the money. Agencies would only be able to use funds provided in advance by appropriations. Any cancelled amounts would go back to the Treasury for deficit reduction.
Broader program scope and accountability
If enacted, the program would explicitly include Tribal jurisdictions and secondary hazards like tsunamis and fires. The law would cite new risk data: about $14.7 billion in annual quake losses and $107.8 trillion in economic exposure. Agencies would be required to incorporate key planning factors, not just consider them. The Advisory Committee would add Tribal representation and a key scientific chair. Agencies would need to report progress by September 30, 2025, and at least every two years, with a prioritized work plan and needed budget.
Stronger quake rules for affordable housing
If enacted, affordable housing standards would shift from only “safety” to building “performance.” The focus would be on reducing seismic damage and speeding post‑quake functional recovery time. This would guide how assisted housing is built or improved.
More mapping and post‑quake investigations
If enacted, NSF would include updated tsunami and liquefaction risks in hazard maps and update which minority‑serving institutions are eligible. The program would also expand post‑earthquake investigations to major quakes at home and abroad and allow FEMA to help manage or fund them.
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