Blumenauer, González-Colón Praise Passage of Empowering Resilient Local Communities Amendment

Press Release

Today, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-03) and Congresswoman Jenniffer González-Colón (PR-AL) are touting passage of the Empowering Resilient Local Communities Act (H.R. 8300), a bill to improve the federal government's ability to serve, protect, and respond to communities that are vulnerable to climate related emergencies and disasters. The House of Representatives passed the bill as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. The bill follows years of work by Congressman Blumenauer to highlight the urgency and rising costs of climate induced disasters harming American communities, and is supported by Congresswoman González-Colón in view of the difficulties being experienced by Puerto Rico in its recovery in the aftermath of hurricanes and earthquakes.

"The House recognizes the urgency of preparing for and responding to climate disasters," said Blumenauer. "This legislation is a step forward for communities dealing with the costs and impacts of extreme weather events. I am hopeful the Senate will take swift action to give FEMA the tools it needs to prepare for future disasters."

"Small disadvantaged communities in Puerto Rico and across the nation have experienced the need for better damage assessment support," stated Congresswoman González-Colón, "as well as the need to rebuild homes to a better standard, which reduces the damages when the next natural disaster happens. Every effort should be made to make this possible."

In addition to helping more aid reach vulnerable populations, the bill modernizes FEMA's definition of an underserved community to ensure aid reaches those who need it most. It also:

Improves agency guidance and definitions for extreme temperature events, like heat waves and freezes; 
Enhance the hazard mitigation planning process to better integrate localities', states', tribes', and territories' hazard mitigation planning into other mitigation planning processes, and include a focus on resiliency planning and investments; 
Allow recipients of Assistance to Individuals and Households to use funds to improve compliance with the latest building codes and hazard resistant designs.

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