Sponsors (2)
Introduced March 26, 2026 by Sheldon Whitehouse · Last progress March 26, 2026
The bill shifts federal flood-risk policy toward expanded nonstructural solutions and clearer Corps-led implementation—reducing out-of-pocket costs and preserving floodplain benefits for many homeowners and communities but increasing near-term federal and local costs, administrative complexity, and potential gaps where structural protection is needed.
Local governments and communities will have greater federal support for nonstructural flood-risk measures (elevation, buyouts, preservation), making it easier to reduce flood damage and long-term recovery costs.
Homeowners—especially low-income and repetitive-loss households—will face much lower out-of-pocket costs because the Federal Government raises cost‑shares and explicitly covers relocation, temporary housing, moving, and many elevation-related expenses.
Projects that emphasize nonstructural options will better preserve natural floodplain benefits (habitat, water quality, recreation), supporting environmental resilience for affected communities.
Taxpayers and the Federal budget will likely face higher near-term costs because the bill increases Federal cost‑shares, expands reimbursable items (relocation, temporary housing, abatement, utility work), and allows higher design standards that raise project costs.
Expanded scope and new eligible costs, plus changes to cost-sharing, risk adding permitting, budgeting, and administrative steps that could delay project approvals and slow implementation of risk‑reduction measures.
Non‑Federal sponsors and some homeowners—particularly low‑income households—may still face significant upfront costs, administrative burdens, or delays because they often must provide Federal shares in advance or meet documentation/notification requirements.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Directs the Army Corps to give equal consideration to nonstructural flood measures and to implement and cost‑share elevation, buyouts, relocation, and related assistance with reporting and transparency requirements.
Requires the Army Corps of Engineers to give equal consideration to nonstructural flood-risk measures (like home elevation, buyouts, floodproofing, and relocation) alongside structural measures in all Corps flood risk and hurricane/storm damage studies and projects. It directs the Corps to continue or resume work on studies/projects with available funds that include nonstructural features, to provide frequent written status updates to local partners, to include certain relocation and elevation-related costs in project costs and cost‑sharing, and to allow voluntary property acquisition/relocation and owner-contracted elevation work under specified rules.