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New FEMA Rules: Easier Disaster Aid Access for Economically Vulnerable Areas.

This Act mandates FEMA to implement new, weighted criteria for evaluating disaster assistance requests. The changes place greater emphasis on localized impacts, the economic circumstances of affected communities, and the needs of vulnerable populations. This aims to ensure that poorer regions and those suffering concentrated damage have a higher chance of receiving federal financial and material support.
Key points
FEMA must adopt new, transparent criteria with assigned percentage weights when evaluating requests for public and individual assistance.
Localized disaster impacts (40% weight) and the economic situation of the region (e.g., poverty and income) will be crucial for public assistance decisions.
For individual assistance, high weight is given to damage concentration, trauma suffered, and the needs of special populations (20% each).
The new rules will apply retroactively to disaster assistance requests denied on or after January 1, 2012.
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Additional Information
Print number: 118_S_3468
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Process start date: 2023-12-12
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Summarized by: gemini-2.5-flash-preview-09-2025
Source data: api.congress.gov
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OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act of 2023

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 118_S_3468.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the Senate.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2023-12-12.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • FEMA must adopt new, transparent criteria with assigned percentage weights when evaluating requests for public and individual assistance.
  • Localized disaster impacts (40% weight) and the economic situation of the region (e.g., poverty and income) will be crucial for public assistance decisions.
  • For individual assistance, high weight is given to damage concentration, trauma suffered, and the needs of special populations (20% each).
  • The new rules will apply retroactively to disaster assistance requests denied on or after January 1, 2012.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Expired.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Introduced in Senate

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2025-12-26.

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