DAMS Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 5414
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Water Resources Development
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-09-17: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- Last Updated
- 2025-09-27T08:05:46Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Dam Assessment and Mitigation Support Act (DAMS Act), H.R. 5414, aims to strengthen dam safety across the United States by reauthorizing federal assistance programs for states. It focuses on maintaining and updating the National Dam Safety Program and support for repairing high-risk dams to prevent failures that could lead to flooding or other hazards.
Key Provisions
- Reauthorization of the National Dam Safety Program: Removes a specific expiration clause (paragraph 4) from Section 8(e) of the existing law, ensuring the program continues without a set end date.
- Priority System for Dam Rehabilitation: Updates Section 8A(f) to require states that lack their own risk-based system (a method for ranking dams by potential danger) to use a federal priority system when identifying high-hazard potential dams for repairs.
- Extended Funding Authorization: Extends federal funding availability for rehabilitating high-hazard dams from fiscal year 2026 to 2031 under Section 8A(j)(4), allowing continued grants to states for safety improvements.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Eliminates the sunset provision for the National Dam Safety Program, making it ongoing rather than time-limited.
- Introduces a fallback requirement for states to adopt the federal priority system if they do not have a state-developed risk-based alternative, promoting consistency in how dams are selected for funding.
- Prolongs the authorization of appropriations by five years (from 2026 to 2031), providing longer-term financial stability for dam repair initiatives without altering the overall funding amounts or eligibility criteria.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Federal agencies, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) which administers the program, will have sustained resources to oversee and fund state dam safety efforts, potentially reducing administrative disruptions from expired authorizations.
- On Citizens: Enhances public safety by supporting repairs to aging or risky dams, lowering the risk of dam failures that could cause loss of life, property damage, or environmental harm in communities downstream.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic infrastructure; however, it indirectly supports U.S. resilience to natural disasters, which could align with broader international standards for infrastructure safety.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- States and Local Governments: Primary beneficiaries, as they receive federal grants for dam assessments, repairs, and safety planning; states without robust risk systems will need to align with federal guidelines.
- Dam Owners and Operators: Includes public utilities, private entities, and municipalities responsible for high-hazard dams (those whose failure could cause loss of life), who gain access to extended funding for maintenance.
- Federal Government: Agencies involved in dam oversight (e.g., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for technical support) will continue coordinating with states.
- Citizens and Communities: Residents near dams, particularly in flood-vulnerable areas, benefit from reduced safety risks.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal Implications: Strengthens federal-state partnerships under the existing National Dam Safety Program Act without expanding regulatory powers, ensuring compliance with cooperative federalism principles where states retain primary responsibility for dam regulation.
- Constitutional Implications: No apparent conflicts; the bill operates within Congress's authority under the Commerce Clause to regulate interstate infrastructure and safety, focusing on voluntary state participation in federal funding programs.
- Political Implications: Bipartisan sponsorship (introduced by Rep. Van Drew and Rep. Titus) signals broad support for infrastructure resilience; extending authorizations could facilitate smoother budget processes but may prompt debates on long-term federal spending priorities in future appropriations.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2]
Cosponsors (2)
Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]
Recent Actions
- 2025-09-17: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- 2025-09-16: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 2025-09-16: Introduced in House
- 2025-09-16: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Dam Assessment and Mitigation Support Act — issued 2025-09-16 — PDF (2 pages)