A Democratic bill with 7 Democratic cosponsors · See all 7 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The bill is known as the Disaster Relief Fairness Act of 2026. It deals with requests for major disaster declarations made by a State Governor or a Chief Executive of an Indian tribal government between January 20, 2025, and January 20, 2029. Under the bill, these disaster requests are considered approved by the President if certain damage or assistance criteria are met. It also stops the President from withholding or denying assistance for these requests solely because of a missed deadline.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +8
Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster?
The bill ensures that major disaster declaration requests meeting damage criteria are deemed approved and protects communities from losing aid due to missed deadlines.
- Scored +6
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Low-income households often rely heavily on federal disaster assistance and benefit from rules preventing the denial of aid due to missed deadlines.
- Scored +5
Would children be better off under this?
Improving access to timely federal disaster relief benefits families and children in affected communities.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 2(b) ensures that major disaster requests submitted during the covered period are deemed approved and that the President provides the requested assistance, provided the incident meets specific public assistance damage estimates or if the FEMA Regional Administrator determines individual assistance is warranted. This is a positive outcome because it helps ensure communities receive timely federal disaster relief when damage thresholds are met or individual needs are identified.
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Section 2(c) states that the President cannot withhold or deny disaster assistance for a covered request solely because of a missed deadline. This is a positive provision for people because it protects communities from losing crucial disaster aid due to administrative or timing errors.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Based on the provided text, there are no specific sections or provisions identified that outline negative consequences or burdens for individuals or groups of people in the United States.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Low-income households often rely heavily on federal disaster assistance and benefit from rules preventing the denial of aid due to missed deadlines. Would children be better off under this? — Improving access to timely federal disaster relief benefits families and children in affected communities. Would people in middle age be better off under this? — Streamlining disaster declarations prevents communities and homeowners from losing vital federal recovery assistance. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Middle-class families facing property damage from major disasters are better protected by expedited federal relief approvals. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Rural communities and tribal areas submitting disaster declarations benefit from streamlined approval processes under the bill. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Vulnerable populations, including seniors, benefit directly from guaranteed federal disaster recovery support. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Ensuring disaster relief funds are approved when damage thresholds are met helps young adults recover from major incidents.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster? — The bill ensures that major disaster declaration requests meeting damage criteria are deemed approved and protects communities from losing aid due to missed deadlines.
- 9/24/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/21/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 6 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Suzanne BonamiciDemocrat · Oregon
Jim CostaDemocrat · California
Steve CohenDemocrat · Tennessee
Laura FriedmanDemocrat · California
Seth MagazinerDemocrat · Rhode Island
Christian MenefeeDemocrat · Texas
Debbie Wasserman SchultzDemocrat · Florida