Extreme Weather and Heat Response Modernization Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 3661
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Emergency Management
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-05-30: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- Last Updated
- 2025-11-22T09:06:55Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Extreme Weather and Heat Response Modernization Act (H.R. 3661) aims to improve the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) handling of extreme weather events, particularly heat and cold, by reviewing disaster declaration processes, expanding mitigation options, issuing guidance, and conducting studies. It seeks to make disaster response more effective for slow-developing or complex events, while addressing vulnerabilities in communities and infrastructure.
Key Provisions
- Incident Periods Review (Section 2): FEMA must convene an advisory panel within 6 months of enactment, including representatives from national emergency organizations, county officials, the National Weather Service, and regional emergency managers from state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments. The panel will review how FEMA determines "incident periods" (the time frame for a disaster event) for all types of hazards under the Stafford Act (a key federal law for disaster relief). It focuses on challenges like slow-onset disasters (e.g., prolonged droughts), non-contiguous disasters (events in separate areas), compound disasters (multiple hazards overlapping), and cascading disasters (one event triggering others).
- An interim report with findings and recommendations is due to Congress within 1 year.
- A final report, including implementation plans and further legislative needs, is due within 2 years.
- After a 30-day congressional review, FEMA must start rulemaking (a formal process to create regulations) to adopt the panel's recommendations.
- Mitigation and Preparedness Funding (Section 3): Expands FEMA's authority under the Stafford Act to fund innovative projects for extreme heat and cold events. Eligible projects include:
- Stockpiling or installing equipment (e.g., cooling devices) for households, first responders, and health systems, plus emergency vouchers.
- Establishing community cooling centers (public spaces to help people stay cool during heat waves) and resilience centers (durable facilities for community support before, during, and after emergencies).
- Funds must supplement, not replace, existing aid programs.
- Guidance Issuance (Section 4): Within 1 year, FEMA must publish updated guidance in its Public Assistance Program on:
- Handling extreme temperature events like heat waves and freezes.
- Hazard mitigation projects (preemptive measures to reduce disaster damage), including eligibility for heat- and cold-focused initiatives.
- Incorporating extreme heat into planning tools like hazard assessments, training courses, and federal response frameworks.
- Study on Extreme Heat and Cold (Section 5): Within 1 year, FEMA must conduct a study on the impacts of extreme heat and cold, consulting stakeholders and other federal agencies. The study covers:
- Effects on disadvantaged communities, infrastructure (e.g., buildings, roads, power grids), health, pets, and livestock.
- Regional differences, alert effectiveness, severity metrics, and combined risks (e.g., heat plus wildfire smoke).
- Best practices for education, first responder training, and integration into local emergency plans.
- A report with results and recommendations for a national response framework is due to Congress within 1 year.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Expands Stafford Act Scope: Adds extreme heat and cold as explicit priorities for mitigation funding and planning, which were previously less emphasized compared to sudden events like floods or hurricanes. Introduces new eligibility for "innovative" projects, such as cooling centers, not previously detailed.
- Introduces Advisory and Review Processes: Creates a mandatory advisory panel and rulemaking for incident periods, formalizing a review that could lead to broader definitions of disasters (e.g., including slow-onset or multi-event scenarios), potentially increasing federal aid eligibility.
- Enhances Guidance and Studies: Requires FEMA to update policies and conduct targeted research, filling gaps in current frameworks that undervalue temperature extremes.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: FEMA will face new administrative burdens, including panel convening, reports, guidance updates, and rulemaking, potentially requiring additional resources. Other agencies (e.g., National Weather Service) may collaborate more on alerts and planning, improving coordination. State, local, and Tribal governments could access more funding for resilience projects.
- On Citizens: Vulnerable groups, especially in disadvantaged, rural, urban, or Tribal areas, may benefit from better heat/cold protections, reducing health risks (e.g., heatstroke) and infrastructure failures. Enhanced alerts and centers could improve safety during events, while mitigation funds might lower long-term recovery costs for communities.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts; the bill focuses on domestic disaster management.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Level: FEMA (primary implementer), National Weather Service, and congressional committees (Transportation and Infrastructure; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs).
- State, Local, and Community Level: Emergency managers, county officials, Tribal and territorial authorities, first responders, and public health systems—especially in rural, urban, underrepresented, and insular areas.
- Vulnerable Populations: Disadvantaged communities, households facing extreme temperatures, pet/livestock owners, and FEMA's own workforce (e.g., for heat/cold safety training).
- Broader Groups: National emergency organizations and infrastructure operators (e.g., utilities, roads) benefiting from mitigation projects.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Builds on the Stafford Act without major overhauls, but the rulemaking process could expand federal disaster definitions, potentially increasing litigation over eligibility (e.g., what qualifies as a "compound" disaster). Ensures funds "supplement not supplant" to avoid conflicting with other laws.
- Constitutional: Aligns with federal disaster relief powers under the Commerce Clause (regulating interstate impacts of disasters); no apparent conflicts with states' rights, as it emphasizes consultation with local stakeholders.
- Political: Highlights growing recognition of climate-driven events like heat waves, potentially setting precedents for future environmental legislation. The focus on equity (e.g., disadvantaged communities) could influence partisan debates on disaster funding priorities, but the bill remains bipartisan in sponsorship.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (8)
Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4], Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17], Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10], Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Whitesides, George [D-CA-27]
Recent Actions
- 2025-05-30: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- 2025-05-29: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 2025-05-29: Introduced in House
- 2025-05-29: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Extreme Weather and Heat Response Modernization Act — issued 2025-05-29 — PDF (9 pages)