McDonald Rivet, Moolenaar Pass Bipartisan FEMA Reform Through Committee

WASHINGTON— Today, Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08) and Congressman John Moolenaar (MI-02) successfully passed the Rapid Disaster Relief Act through the U.S. House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure. This legislation, supported by Republicans and Democrats, establishes an expedited timeline for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to reimburse cities and towns for emergency recovery projects.

“This is an issue that hits close to home. In the wake of the 2020 floods, red tape has delayed FEMA from reimbursing Midland County cities and towns for their work to clear roads and get essential services up and running,” said Congresswoman McDonald Rivet. “That left small communities with massive debts, and only further delayed the rebuilding process. Our commonsense bill will cut government overregulation and put communities on the fast track to recovery when disasters strike.” 

“For over five years, the residents of Midland and Gladwin counties have worked to rebuild their homes and businesses to recover from the devastating 2020 floods. Unfortunately, after securing a disaster declaration from President Trump in 2020, FEMA’s burdensome red tape has kept critical funding from the area to assist with its recovery,” said Congressman Moolenaar. “The Rapid Disaster Relief Act is a common sense, bipartisan proposal to keep FEMA responsive to the victims of natural disasters and ensure communities in Mid-Michigan do not endure years of delays in receiving disaster relief funding.”

The Rapid Disaster Relief Act requires FEMA to disburse funds for emergency work within 120 days after validating 90 percent of the associated costs. This will ensure timely reimbursement for state, local, and tribal governments, as well as eligible non-profit organizations for “emergency work,” consisting of debris removal and emergency protective measures, such as flood water mitigation, search and rescue, and emergency medical services.

In May, Congresswoman McDonald Rivet and Congressman Moolenaar sent a letter to FEMA Leadership seeking answers on the status of relief funds for the victims of the 2020 flooding in mid-Michigan. Congresswoman McDonald Rivet is a member of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, which has jurisdiction over disaster preparedness and response, including FEMA.

You can find a video of the Congresswoman’s opening remarks here and today’s markup here.