Earthquake Resilience Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 2568
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Science, Technology, Communications
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-04-01: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- Last Updated
- 2025-06-12T08:06:20Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Earthquake Resilience Act (H.R. 2568) aims to enhance the United States' preparedness for earthquakes by mandating a national assessment of earthquake resilience risks and updating the federal program that coordinates earthquake hazards reduction efforts. It focuses on identifying progress and gaps in community resilience while expanding guidelines for post-earthquake recovery.
Key Provisions
- National Risk Assessment: Within two years of enactment, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) must collaborate with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator, the National Science Foundation (NSF) Director, and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Director. They will work with federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments, plus other stakeholders, to produce a report for Congress. The report will cover:
- Progress made by communities in building earthquake resilience (the ability to withstand and recover from earthquakes).
- Remaining gaps in that resilience.
- Amendments to the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program: The bill updates Section 5 of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977, which coordinates federal efforts to reduce earthquake risks. Key updates include:
- Expanding program goals to include "post-earthquake recovery-based performance objectives" that ensure quick functional recovery (restoring basic operations) and reoccupancy (safe return to buildings) after an earthquake.
- Adding requirements for developing standards, guidelines, and consensus codes (agreed-upon rules) for recovering essential services from "lifeline infrastructure" (critical systems like water, power, and transportation), coordinated by a national organization if appropriate.
- Enhancing data sharing by incorporating real-time global navigation satellite system (GNSS) network data streams (satellite-based positioning for precise location tracking) and geodetic network data (measurements of Earth's shape and gravity for monitoring ground movement).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill amends the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 by:
- Broadening the program's focus beyond immediate hazard reduction to include long-term recovery and reoccupancy standards, which were not explicitly addressed before.
- Inserting new clauses for infrastructure recovery guidelines and advanced data integration (e.g., GNSS and geodetic data), which expand the scope of federal research and coordination.
- Requiring explicit use of program results in federal actions, such as building regulations, to make implementation more direct.
These changes build on the existing law without overhauling it, emphasizing recovery alongside prevention.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Agencies like NIST, FEMA, NSF, and USGS will face increased coordination and reporting duties, potentially leading to more integrated federal resources for earthquake research and planning. This could strain budgets short-term but improve long-term efficiency in disaster response.
- Citizens: People in earthquake-prone areas (e.g., California, Alaska) may benefit from stronger building standards and faster recovery protocols, reducing injury, property damage, and economic disruption after quakes. Communities could see targeted improvements in resilience gaps identified in the assessment.
- International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though enhanced U.S. seismic data sharing (e.g., GNSS networks) could indirectly support global disaster monitoring efforts, such as through international scientific collaborations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Agencies: NIST (leads assessment and standards), FEMA (emergency response), NSF (research funding), and USGS (geological monitoring).
- State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Governments: Involved in coordination and implementing resilience improvements in their communities.
- Communities and Infrastructure Providers: Residents, businesses, and operators of lifeline infrastructure (e.g., utilities, hospitals) in high-risk areas, who stand to gain from better recovery guidelines.
- Congressional Committees: House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, which receive the assessment report.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: The bill reinforces federal authority under existing disaster management laws without creating new enforcement mechanisms, relying on collaboration rather than mandates. It promotes voluntary consensus standards, which could influence state building codes but avoids preempting local laws.
- Constitutional: No apparent conflicts with federalism (division of powers between federal and state governments), as it emphasizes coordination with non-federal entities. It aligns with Congress's commerce clause powers to regulate interstate risks like infrastructure failures.
- Political: As a bipartisan bill (introduced by Reps. Mullin and Fong), it signals cross-aisle support for disaster resilience, potentially paving the way for future funding or expansions. Referred to multiple committees, it may involve negotiations on resource allocation, but the focus on assessment limits controversy.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2025-04-01: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- 2025-04-01: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and 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.
- 2025-04-01: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and 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.
- 2025-04-01: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and 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.
- 2025-04-01: Introduced in House
- 2025-04-01: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Earthquake Resilience Act — issued 2025-04-01 — PDF (4 pages)