REAADI for Disasters Act
Sponsored By: Senator Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced
Summary
Would require that disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation explicitly include and protect older adults and people with disabilities and set federal civil‑rights standards and dedicated funding for accessible services.
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- Older adults and people with disabilities would gain explicit nondiscrimination protections in emergency care and crisis standards, required accessibility of communications and facilities, and housing visitability standards. Older adults are defined as age 50 or older.
- State, Tribal, local governments, centers for independent living, and nonprofits could receive new grants for training, technical assistance, and capacity building. The Centers program would award competitive grants of $2.5 million to $10.0 million with $100.0 million authorized per year and preparedness grants authorize $300.0 million per year.
- The bill creates larger advisory and review bodies, requires GAO to investigate past agency compliance with disability laws, and demands independent evaluation and public reporting for grant activities.
*Authorizes roughly $400.5 million per year for 2027–2031 (about $2.0 billion over five years), which would increase federal spending if appropriated.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More disaster preparedness grants
If enacted, the bill would create a Disaster Preparedness Grants program at HHS. The Secretary would award grants to states, local agencies, tribes, and nonprofits to prepare for disasters and public health emergencies. Grants could fund partnerships, agency capacity, and staff salaries for organizations serving at‑risk people. The bill would authorize $300 million for each fiscal year from 2027 through 2031. Up to 3% of each year's funds could be used for administration.
Nondiscriminatory crisis care rules
If enacted, the bill would require States and local governments to make crisis standards of care that comply with nondiscrimination rules under section 504 and section 1557. Entities would have to follow HHS civil rights guidance (including the March 28, 2020 bulletin). They could not adopt policies that suspend civil rights or use class, race, ethnicity, neighborhood, disability, or age to decide access to care. Standards must be clear for clinicians and include stakeholder engagement and ethically and clinically sound allocation planning.
Make disaster services accessible
If enacted, the bill would require recipients of funds under the title to follow the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Covered recipients would have to make facilities, communications, and services accessible, including providing communications in languages used by the community and American Sign Language. The bill would define "older adult" as age 50 or older and say "access and functional needs" includes limited access to financial resources. It would define visitability standards by reference to ICC A117.1‑2009. The bill would say individuals and households are not "covered recipients" and would allow covered recipients to contract with Centers for Independent Living for accessible services and shelter adaptations.
Rapid disaster human services fund
If enacted, the bill would create a Disaster Human Services Emergency Fund at HHS to give rapid human services after a declared major disaster or public health emergency, or when the Secretary finds one likely. The Fund would prioritize accessible case management, application assistance and translations, accessible shelters, legal help, and repair or replacement of equipment that supports community living. Amounts would remain available until spent. The bill would authorize $100 million for each fiscal year from 2027 through 2031 and require plans for expedited delivery in emergencies.
Training centers and national projects
If enacted, the bill would fund regional training and research centers and make competitive Projects of National Significance awards to improve disability‑ and older‑adult‑inclusive disaster management. HHS would run a competitive grant program with grants generally between $2.5 million and $10 million for five years and would fund at least two grants in each of the 10 Federal regions. Research could use no more than 25% of center funds. HHS must report to Congress in fiscal years 2028 and 2030. The Projects of National Significance would include at least four awards of $2.5 million to $10 million, each lasting 3–5 years.
New disability disaster advisory bodies
If enacted, the bill would create a Disability and Disaster Preparedness Advisory Committee at the Department of Justice. The Attorney General would appoint members within 60 days, including at least three non‑federal disability advocates who are individuals with disabilities. The committee must report findings and recommendations to Congress and named officials within one year and would end 90 days after the report. The bill would also expand the National Advisory Committee on Individuals with Disabilities and Disasters from 17 to 45 members and authorize $500,000 per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2030 to run that committee.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
CT • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 1/13/2026
Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
VT • I
Sponsored 1/13/2026
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
NY • D
Sponsored 1/13/2026
Amy Klobuchar
MN • D
Sponsored 1/13/2026
Peter Welch
VT • D
Sponsored 1/13/2026
Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 1/13/2026
Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 1/13/2026
Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 1/13/2026
Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 1/13/2026
Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA]
PA • D
Sponsored 1/13/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov