To provide for a procedure for Congress to carry out a reversal of a decision by the President not to declare a major disaster requested by the Governor of a State under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · April 29, 2026
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The Disaster Declaration Transparency Act of 2026 allows Congress to override a presidential decision to deny a major disaster declaration requested by a state governor. Under current law, the President has sole authority to approve or reject such requests, but this bill creates a new process: if the President refuses a disaster declaration that contradicts the Federal Emergency Management Agency's recommendation or deviates from established precedent, the President must notify Congress within 24 hours with a written explanation. Either chamber of Congress can then introduce a joint resolution within 14 days to force the disaster declaration, which follows expedited procedures designed to bypass normal committee delays and reach a floor vote quickly. In the House, the resolution receives only four hours of debate and cannot be amended, while the Senate limits debate to ten hours and waives the filibuster rule. The bill affects state governors and disaster victims by giving Congress a legislative check on presidential disaster decisions, though it requires passage by both chambers and would likely still be subject to presidential veto.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.