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WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressmen Brian Babin (TX-36) and John Garamendi (CA-08) and Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) introduced the Regional Impact of Disasters and Emergencies Relief (RIDER) Act to improve access to and delivery of federal relief to disaster-struck communities. This bipartisan, bicameral bill would amend existing law to ensure bureaucratic technicalities do not keep desperate families, businesses, and communities from accessing the resources they need for recovery.

“To often, after a natural disaster, we have seen impacted communities excluded from financial help because of technicalities or subjective standards. In recent years, several communities in Southeast Texas were hit by major disasters but were excluded from any public or individual assistance – even though their property lines were mere yards away from where the federally declared disaster was issued. My goal with the RIDER Act is to ensure that whenever the government steps in after a major disaster declaration, impacted businesses and homes are not left out. Instead, we need to make sure they receive the relief and resources necessary to recover fully. This legislation is a much-needed solution to a problem we encounter nearly every year. Commonsense reforms like this, aimed at making it easier for people stuck in the challenge of navigating natural disasters, are crucial. I appreciate Rep. Garamendi and our partners in the Senate for joining us in pushing this important bill forward,” said Congressman Babin.

“Natural disasters don’t care about county lines, and neither should FEMA’s disaster recovery efforts. Our bipartisan bill ensures communities recovering from natural disasters get the federal support they deserve, just like their neighbors in a declared disaster area. Congressman Babin and I introduced this commonsense reform in 2021, and I’m pleased to partner with Senators Warren and Cruz this year. As California continues to face devastating climate-fueled disasters, we need all the help we can get,” said Congressman Garamendi.

“Texas is no stranger to natural disasters, and we must do more to ensure our communities can rebuild in times of need. That’s why I’m focused on enhancing the disaster declaration process, ensuring Texans – from small towns and rural areas – can access the resources needed to restore our homes, businesses, and livelihoods. I am proud to partner with Senator Warren and Congressman Babin to introduce bipartisan legislation to ensure no community is left behind in the wake of catastrophe,” said Senator Cruz.

“The growing climate crisis means natural disasters and emergencies are only going to become more common. Part of tackling the crisis head-on is making sure we’re ready to deliver critical relief to impacted communities when they need it most – the RIDER Act does exactly that,” said Senator Warren.

BACKGROUND

The RIDER Act will:

• Improve the distribution of disaster relief funds by making all communities directly affected by a major disaster eligible for federal relief, regardless of county or state lines.

• Enable the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to declare major disasters based on cumulative damage to a community over a 12-month period, addressing concerns that existing federal regulations do not sufficiently account for the impact of cumulative disasters on a region.

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