FEMA Operations Continuity Act of 2025
This bill authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to continue certain disaster relief, recovery, and mitigation operations during a lapse in appropriations (i.e., government shutdown).
Specifically, the bill authorizes FEMA to
The bill also (1) requires all unobligated balances in the DRF to remain available to FEMA for expenditure during a lapse in appropriations; and (2) prohibits the funds from being withheld, sequestered, or reprogrammed during a lapse in appropriations, except as necessary to comply with the Antideficiency Act.
Finally, the bill specifies that, for the purposes of the Antideficiency Act, the FEMA operations authorized by this bill must be considered essential to protect human life and property and are exempt from government shutdown restrictions.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5794 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5794
To authorize the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency to continue disaster relief, recovery, and mitigation operations
funded through the Disaster Relief Fund in the event of a lapse in
appropriations, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 21, 2025
Mr. Bell (for himself, Mr. Moulton, and Mr. Fields) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency to continue disaster relief, recovery, and mitigation operations
funded through the Disaster Relief Fund in the event of a lapse in
appropriations, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``FEMA Operations Continuity Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. CONTINUATION OF FEMA OPERATIONS DURING A LAPSE IN
APPROPRIATIONS.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in the event of a lapse
in appropriations, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency shall be authorized to--
(1) continue all disaster relief, recovery, and mitigation
operations funded through the Disaster Relief Fund;
(2) obligate and disburse Disaster Relief Fund balances for
all existing and future disaster declarations, including
individual and public assistance under sections 403, 406, 407,
408, and 502 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b, 5172, 5173, 5174,
and 5192); and
(3) maintain personnel and contract support necessary to
ensure uninterrupted processing of claims and payments.
SEC. 3. USE OF DISASTER RELIEF FUND.
(a) Availability.--All unobligated balances in the Disaster Relief
Fund shall remain available to the Administrator for expenditure during
a lapse in appropriations.
(b) Prohibition on Diversion.--No funds from the Disaster Relief
Fund may be withheld, sequestered, or reprogrammed during a lapse in
appropriations, except as necessary to comply with section 1341 of
title 31, United States Code (commonly referred to as the `Anti-
Deficiency Act').
SEC. 4. EXCEPTION FROM GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN RESTRICTIONS.
For purposes of section 1341 of title 31, United States Code
(commonly referred to as the `Anti-Deficiency Act'), operations of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency authorized under this Act shall be
considered essential to protect human life and property, and therefore
exempt from shutdown restrictions.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
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