Figures’ Bipartisan Effort to Improve Access to Disaster Relief Funding Moves Forward
WASHINGTON – Today, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure passed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Reform Act, which includes the bipartisan Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Act introduced in July by Reps. Shomari C. Figures (AL-02) and Chuck Edwards (NC-11).
The BRIC Act would reform and improve the 2018 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program to ensure rural communities, such as those in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District, have more equitable access to disaster relief funding. Specifically, BRIC funds would be distributed 40% equally among all states; 20% to states with a higher population and a lower median income; 20% to states most vulnerable to natural disasters that threaten critical infrastructure; and 20% to eligible states with approved projects in economically distressed or rural communities.
“I’m proud to have led this bipartisan effort to reform how FEMA funds are distributed,” said Rep. Figures. “The inclusion of the BRIC Act in the FEMA Reform Act is a major step toward smarter, more equitable disaster preparedness. It is a real win for Alabama communities and others across the country that need these resources the most.”
The FEMA Reform Act must pass Congress and be signed into law by the president before it can take effect.