National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025

Bill Number

S. 320

Origin Chamber

Senate

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Emergency Management

Status

Passed Senate

Latest Action

2026-01-07: Held at the desk.

Last Updated

2026-06-11T05:06:23Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025 reauthorizes and updates the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 to strengthen national efforts to reduce risks from earthquakes and related hazards. It aims to improve scientific understanding, develop safer building practices, enhance early warning systems, and promote community resilience, particularly by incorporating recent data on population risks and economic losses.

Key Provisions

• Updated Findings and Purpose: Revises the Act's foundational statements to reflect that nearly half of the U.S. population lives in earthquake-prone areas, with annual building losses estimated at $14.7 billion and total economic exposure at $107.8 trillion. Emphasizes retrofitting older structures, inventories of high-risk buildings (especially critical infrastructure like hospitals and utilities), and programs to incentivize upgrades for faster recovery after earthquakes.
• New Definitions: Introduces terms like "Tribal government" (referring to Native American tribal entities under federal law), "functional recovery" (restoring buildings or infrastructure to their basic pre-earthquake uses safely and quickly), and "earthquake forecast" (probability statements about potential quakes in specific areas and timeframes).
• Program Enhancements: Expands activities to include developing guidelines for seismic inventories and evaluations of high-risk structures, technical assistance for state, local, and Tribal governments on retrofitting, and better understanding of secondary hazards like tsunamis, landslides, liquefaction (soil instability), and fires.
• Agency Responsibilities:
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): Provides training, technical aid for evacuation plans, and promotes standards that improve post-earthquake recovery and resilience.
• U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): Improves earthquake early warning systems, coordinates with other agencies for rapid alerts (including in local languages), issues forecasts for aftershocks, and expands coverage to more high-risk areas.
• National Science Foundation (NSF): Funds research on hazards, including updated risk maps for tsunamis and liquefaction.
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): Develops engineering tools to mitigate fire risks after earthquakes.
• Coordination and Reporting: Strengthens the Interagency Coordinating Committee by adding coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for broadcasting alerts. Requires agencies to implement prior recommendations on functional recovery and submit biennial progress reports.
• Seismic Standards: Updates affordable housing laws to require "performance" standards (focusing on recovery time) rather than just "safety" for federally supported properties.
• Post-Earthquake Investigations: Expands to include international events for broader learning.
• Funding Authorizations: Allocates specific amounts for fiscal years 2024–2028, including $8.5 million annually for general program coordination, $92.4 million per year for USGS (with at least $36 million for the Advanced National Seismic System, a network of monitoring tools), $54 million for NSF, and $5.9 million for NIST. Funds must come from appropriated budgets, with any cancellations applied to deficit reduction.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Inclusivity: Adds "Tribal governments" throughout, previously focused on state and local levels, to ensure Native American communities in seismic areas receive support.
• Modernized Focus: Shifts from basic "seismic safety" to "functional recovery" and "community resilience," incorporating recent reports (e.g., 2021 and 2023 FEMA/USGS studies) on economic impacts and retrofit needs. Expands early warning systems and adds secondary hazards like tsunamis.
• Implementation Mandates: Requires agencies to act on prior recommendations for better post-earthquake performance, with new biennial reporting to track progress.
• Technical Updates: Replaces outdated terms (e.g., "cave-ins" to "collapse") and adds provisions for inventories, evaluations, and technical assistance, subject to funding availability.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: Increases coordination among FEMA, USGS, NSF, NIST, and FCC, potentially streamlining alerts and research but requiring more resources for technical assistance and system expansions. Could reduce long-term disaster response costs through better preparedness.
• Citizens: Enhances safety in high-risk areas (e.g., California, Alaska, Puerto Rico) by promoting retrofits and warnings, potentially saving lives and minimizing downtime for essential services like power and water. Vulnerable groups, including those in affordable housing or Tribal areas, benefit from targeted standards and evacuation planning.
• International Relations: Minor expansion of investigations to global events could foster data-sharing with other countries, aiding mutual preparedness without direct diplomatic shifts.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Federal Agencies: FEMA, USGS, NSF, NIST, and FCC, as lead implementers with expanded duties and funding.
• State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Recipients of technical assistance for inventories, retrofits, and planning; Tribal entities gain explicit inclusion.
• Building Owners and Industries: Architects, engineers, and owners of critical infrastructure (e.g., schools, hospitals) must adapt to new guidelines and incentives for upgrades.
• Citizens and Communities: Residents in earthquake-prone regions, especially vulnerable populations (e.g., elderly, low-income), through improved warnings and resilient infrastructure.
• Research and Education Institutions: Universities and historically underrepresented colleges receive NSF support for studies.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens federal mandates for interagency cooperation under existing law without creating new regulatory burdens; emphasizes voluntary standards and incentives over mandates, avoiding potential challenges to property rights. Funding ties to appropriations ensure congressional oversight.
• Constitutional: Aligns with the federal government's role in disaster mitigation (Commerce Clause and general welfare), promoting resilience without infringing on state/Tribal sovereignty—explicitly includes Tribal consultation.
• Political: Bipartisan reauthorization signals priority on natural hazards amid climate and urbanization pressures; biennial reporting promotes accountability, but funding levels (flat for some agencies) may spark debates on adequacy given rising risks. No major controversies, as it builds on a 1977 framework with data-driven updates.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

Cosponsors (1)

Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]

Recent Actions

• 2026-01-07: Held at the desk.
• 2026-01-07: Received in the House.
• 2026-01-07: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
• 2026-01-05: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
• 2026-01-05: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
• 2026-01-05: The committee substitute as amended agreed to by Unanimous Consent. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S7-10)
• 2026-01-05: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S5-10)
• 2025-10-14: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 183.
• 2025-10-14: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 119-74.
• 2025-10-14: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 119-74.
• 2025-04-30: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
• 2025-01-29: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
• 2025-01-29: Introduced in Senate

Bill Versions

• National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025 — issued 2026-01-05 — PDF (24 pages)
• National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025 — issued 2025-01-29 — PDF (22 pages)
• National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025 — issued 2025-10-14 — PDF (44 pages)