National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 2250
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Emergency Management
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-01-08: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-431, Part I.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-11T05:06:24Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 aims to extend and update the original National Landslide Preparedness Act (established in 2019) to improve the nation's ability to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate landslide hazards. It focuses on enhancing research, monitoring, early warning systems, and coordination, particularly in light of increasing risks from extreme weather events like heavy rain and flooding.
Key Provisions
- Updates to Definitions:
- Amends the Flood Level Observation, Operations, and Decision Support Act to define terms such as "atmospheric river" (a narrow band of concentrated water vapor in the atmosphere that can cause heavy rain or snow), "atmospheric river flooding event" (an atmospheric river leading to significant flooding or hazards), and "extreme precipitation event" (rainfall exceeding a 5-year average for a location).
- Incorporates these definitions into the National Landslide Preparedness Act and adds terms like "institution of higher education" (colleges and universities as defined in federal education law), "Native Hawaiian organization" (groups supporting Native Hawaiian interests, including specific state entities), and "Tribal organization" (entities under Indian self-determination laws).
- National Landslide Hazards Reduction Program Enhancements:
- Establishes a coordinated federal program led by the Secretary of the Interior (primarily through the U.S. Geological Survey, or USGS) to reduce landslide risks, including mapping hazards, developing early warning systems, and creating a national strategy.
- Requires assessment of risks from atmospheric rivers, extreme precipitation, and other factors like earthquakes, volcanic activity, thawing permafrost, and drought in the national strategy.
- Mandates a national database for landslide data, identifying high-risk areas (e.g., those affected by flooding, geologic events, or poor monitoring).
- Supports community preparedness by providing tools, training, and resources to state, local, tribal, and Native Hawaiian governments for hazard mitigation, emergency response, and reducing losses from landslides.
- Develops debris flow early warning systems and improves real-time risk management during events.
- Creates an Interagency Coordinating Committee (adding NASA as a member) and an Advisory Committee with diverse experts, including from emergency management and higher education.
- Establishes regional partnerships, starting in Alaska, with universities and organizations for localized research and monitoring.
- Grant Programs:
- Authorizes grants for research, mapping, assessment, and monitoring of landslides, prioritizing high-risk areas, recent disaster zones, and underserved regions.
- Supports education, training, and public awareness efforts.
- 3D Elevation Program:
- Enhances a federal initiative to acquire, process, and integrate 3D elevation data (detailed topographic maps using laser technology) for better landslide prediction.
- Updates the interagency committee to include the 3D Hydrography Program Working Group (focused on water-related mapping).
- Allows grants and cooperative agreements for data collection and sharing.
- Funding and Authorization:
- Reauthorizes the program through fiscal year 2030.
- Allocates $35 million annually to USGS for implementation, with at least $10 million dedicated to purchasing, deploying, and repairing early warning systems in high-risk areas.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Extension and Increased Funding: Extends authorization from 2024 to 2030 and raises annual funding from $25 million to $35 million, with a new earmark for early warning technology.
- Expanded Scope: Incorporates climate-related risks (e.g., atmospheric rivers, extreme precipitation, permafrost thaw) not emphasized in the original act, broadening hazard assessments and response activities.
- Inclusivity Enhancements: Adds explicit inclusion of Tribal organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and institutions of higher education in programs, grants, consultations, and partnerships—previously focused more on general tribal and local governments.
- New Structures: Introduces regional partnerships (e.g., in Alaska) for tailored research; adds NASA to the coordinating committee; and refines grant priorities to include monitoring and post-disaster areas.
- Technical Adjustments: Minor wording changes (e.g., "protect" to "contribute to protecting"; "implement" to "disseminate") for clarity, plus corrections like "publicly" instead of "publically."
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Strengthens coordination among USGS, Department of Commerce (e.g., NOAA for weather data), NASA, and others, potentially improving efficiency in hazard mapping and response. Increases USGS workload and budget for technology deployment.
- On Citizens: Enhances public safety in landslide-prone areas (e.g., Pacific Northwest, Alaska, mountainous regions) through better warnings, community training, and risk reduction, potentially saving lives and property during events like floods or earthquakes. Improves access to data for informed decision-making, such as land-use planning.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though shared data and research could indirectly support global efforts on climate-driven hazards (e.g., via NASA collaborations), without altering treaties or foreign policy.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Agencies: USGS (lead implementer), Department of the Interior, Department of Commerce, NASA, and emergency management bodies like FEMA.
- State, Local, Tribal, and Native Hawaiian Governments/Organizations: Recipients of grants, training, and tools for preparedness; includes Tribal organizations under self-determination laws and Native Hawaiian entities for culturally specific support.
- Institutions of Higher Education and Research Partners: Eligible for partnerships, grants, and consultations to conduct regional studies and monitoring.
- Citizens and Communities: Residents in high-risk areas (e.g., Alaska, wildfire-burned zones, coastal regions) benefit from early warnings and mitigation; private sector may participate in consultations.
- General Public: Gains from a national database and strategy for broader awareness and resilience against natural disasters.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Builds on existing statutes without creating new regulatory burdens; emphasizes voluntary grants and partnerships, respecting state and tribal sovereignty (e.g., via Indian Self-Determination Act references). No challenges to due process or property rights apparent.
- Constitutional: Aligns with federal authority over interstate commerce and natural resources (e.g., under the Property Clause); promotes equal protection by including underserved groups like tribes and Native Hawaiians.
- Political: Supports bipartisan disaster resilience amid rising climate risks, potentially fostering cross-party collaboration on science-based policy. Could influence future funding debates in Congress, emphasizing proactive hazard mitigation over reactive disaster aid. No partisan bias in the bill text; introduced by a diverse group of representatives from Washington state.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]
Cosponsors (8)
Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4], Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8], Rep. Perez, Marie Gluesenkamp [D-WA-3], Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6], Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9], Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2], Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
Recent Actions
- 2026-01-08: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-431, Part I.
- 2026-01-08: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-431, Part I.
- 2025-06-25: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by Unanimous Consent.
- 2025-06-25: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- 2025-06-25: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Discharged
- 2025-05-20: Subcommittee Hearings Held
- 2025-05-13: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
- 2025-03-21: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-03-21: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-03-21: Introduced in House
- 2025-03-21: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 — issued 2025-03-21 — PDF (17 pages)