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S3895119th CongressWALLET
Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced
Summary
Quantified, weighted criteria for disaster assistance. This bill would require FEMA to rewrite the rules that decide both public and individual federal disaster aid and to factor local and State economic conditions into eligibility determinations.
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- Families and households: Individual assistance decisions would use the new, weighted criteria, which could change who qualifies for direct aid after disasters.
- State and local governments: Major disaster requests would be judged by explicit, weighted factors that may affect requests denied on or after Jan 1, 2012.
- FEMA and rulemaking: FEMA would have to amend 44 C.F.R. 206.48 within 120 days after enactment to create the quantified framework and apply it to past denials.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
New FEMA rules for disaster aid
This bill would require FEMA to change its disaster-decision rules within 120 days. FEMA would use fixed percentage weights to score requests for Individual Assistance and Public Assistance. Individual Assistance weights would include 20% for damage concentration, 20% for trauma, 20% for special populations, 10% for voluntary agency help, 20% for insurance, 5% for state average individual aid, and 5% for local economic conditions. Public Assistance weights would include 40% for localized impacts, and 10% each for estimated cost, insurance, hazard mitigation, recent multiple disasters, other federal programs, and economic circumstances. The changes would apply to Governor requests for major disaster declarations that were denied on or after January 1, 2012.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
IL • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov