Sponsors (5)
The bill preserves continuity of FEMA disaster response and assistance during funding lapses—protecting survivors, responders, and recovery work—but does so at the cost of increased near‑term federal outlays, reduced routine congressional oversight, and potential risks to Disaster Relief Fund balances and fiscal planning.
Disaster survivors (low‑income individuals, homeowners, renters, and whole communities) keep receiving FEMA individual assistance and services during funding lapses or shutdowns, reducing immediate hardship and speeding recovery.
Emergency responders and contractors can continue lifesaving response operations without pause, improving public safety and reducing loss of life in declared disasters.
State and local governments retain access to Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) spending and FEMA operational capacity during lapses, helping maintain response, recovery, and claims/payments processing to avoid administrative backlogs.
Taxpayers face continued federal outlays during appropriations lapses, increasing short‑term spending and potentially adding to federal deficits.
Allowing spending to continue without a current appropriation reduces routine congressional oversight and leverage over emergency spending decisions during lapses.
Permitting obligations for future disaster declarations during funding gaps risks depleting Disaster Relief Fund balances in prolonged lapses, leaving less available for new catastrophes.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Allows FEMA to use Disaster Relief Fund balances to continue disaster response, recovery, and mitigation during lapses in appropriations and treats those operations as essential under the Anti-Deficiency Act.
Official title: To authorize the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to continue disaster relief, recovery, and mitigation operations funded through the Disaster Relief Fund in the event of a lapse in appropriations, and for other purposes.
Introduced October 21, 2025 by Wesley Bell · Last progress October 21, 2025
Allows FEMA to keep disaster response, recovery, and mitigation operations running using Disaster Relief Fund balances during a lapse in annual appropriations. It enables FEMA to obligate and spend unobligated Disaster Relief Fund money for existing and future disaster declarations, continue personnel and contract support for claims and payments, and treats those operations as essential under the Anti-Deficiency Act so they are exempt from typical shutdown restrictions.