The Budgeting for Disasters Act would reform how Congress allocates money for disaster relief and emergency spending. Currently, certain disaster and emergency expenses are exempt from the budget caps that normally limit federal spending, allowing Congress to spend on these items without offsetting costs elsewhere. This bill would eliminate those exemptions starting in fiscal year 2025, requiring Congress to budget for disaster costs in advance rather than treating them as automatic exceptions to spending limits. The bill also raises the threshold needed to approve emergency spending from three-fifths to two-thirds of Congress, making it harder to quickly approve emergency funding without broader support. Additionally, the Government Accountability Office would be required to study federal disaster spending from 2015 through 2024 and recommend ways to better define emergencies, improve disaster budgeting forecasts, and establish clearer cost-sharing arrangements between federal and state governments for disaster relief efforts.
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