Disaster Aid Without Delay Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 7829
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Emergency Management
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-03-06: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-03T08:05:46Z
AI-Generated Summary
Disaster Aid Without Delay Act of 2026 (H.R. 7829)
Purpose
This legislation aims to ensure timely distribution of federal disaster relief by preventing the Department of Homeland Security from using fixed dollar limits that could delay or condition the release of funds for major disasters or emergencies.
Key Provisions
- Prohibition on thresholds: The Secretary of Homeland Security is barred from issuing, implementing, enforcing, or maintaining any policy, directive, guidance, or practice that applies an arbitrary monetary threshold to the obligation or disbursement of FEMA disaster relief funds under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.
- Definition of monetary threshold: This term refers to any fixed dollar amount that conditions, delays, or requires extra approval for releasing funds.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- The bill adds a new statutory restriction to the Stafford Act framework, limiting administrative flexibility previously available to FEMA in managing fund releases.
- It does not amend the core disaster assistance authorities but overlays a prohibition on certain internal agency practices.
Potential Impacts
- On government agencies: FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security would lose the ability to apply fixed monetary cutoffs in disaster fund management, potentially requiring more case-by-case reviews.
- On citizens: Individuals and communities affected by disasters could receive aid more quickly without delays tied to arbitrary dollar requirements.
- On international relations: No direct effects are outlined in the legislation.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Department of Homeland Security officials responsible for fund disbursement.
- State, local, tribal, and territorial governments that apply for and receive disaster assistance.
- Individuals and businesses impacted by major disasters or emergencies.
- Congress, as the body overseeing federal disaster policy.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- The measure reinforces congressional authority over executive branch spending practices in emergency response without raising apparent constitutional concerns.
- It addresses potential administrative bottlenecks in disaster aid, promoting faster obligation of funds while maintaining existing eligibility rules under the Stafford Act.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rescom. Hernández, Pablo Jose [D-PR-At Large]
Cosponsors (14)
Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26], Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4], Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25], Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9], Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21], Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3], Rep. Pou, Nellie [D-NJ-9], Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24], Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15], Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7], Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9], Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2], Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10], Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16]
Recent Actions
- 2026-03-06: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- 2026-03-05: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 2026-03-05: Introduced in House
- 2026-03-05: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Disaster Aid Without Delay Act of 2026 — issued 2026-03-05 — PDF (2 pages)