Amid California’s Worsening Wildfire Crisis, Harder Passes Bipartisan Bill to Give Wildfire Disaster Relief to Families
In the past 5 years, California has seen an 819% increase in large wildfires and wildfires started spreading 3 ½ times faster over the past 20 years
This bill is a key pillar of Harder’s landmark wildfire prevention plan
Watch Rep. Josh Harder speak on the House Floor about the bill HERE
WASHINGTON – Today, amid ongoing wildfires burning in southern California and a worsening wildfire crisis across the state, Rep. Josh Harder (CA-9) spoke on the House Floor to recognize and celebrate the passage of a vital wildfire bill. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will overhaul FEMA’s disaster relief system, giving communities the help they need to recover faster and build long-term resilience.
What This Bill Does:
- Cuts Red Tape: Allows local governments to use leftover FEMA disaster management funds for other open or future disasters, speeding up recovery efforts and reducing waste.
- Supports Long-Term Preparedness: Authorizes communities to retain excess FEMA management costs for up to five years after a disaster, enabling better planning and faster recovery in future emergencies.
- Makes Government Work Smarter: Provides state and local governments the flexibility they need to address overlapping disasters and build capacity for disaster preparedness.
This bill is a key component of Rep. Harder’s Modernizing Wildfire Safety and Prevention Act, where it is incorporated as Section 402. That comprehensive legislative package, introduced earlier this year, tackles the wildfire crisis with measures to support firefighters, improve wildfire response, and protect public health.
Watch Rep. Harder’s speech on the House Floor HERE or read his remarks below:
Thank you.
I rise today to celebrate the passage of the bipartisan Disaster Management Cost Modernization Act. This bill is one pillar of my landmark comprehensive legislation to address the worsening wildfire crisis. It transforms our fight against wildfires, moving us from our current reactive approach to a proactive plan to prevent mega-fires.
For too long, we have been playing catch-up with wildfires instead of preventing them. This bill flips the script cutting red tape so communities like mine can tap into existing disaster funds before those flames threaten our homes.
This means communities can rebuild faster, strengthen their defenses, and avoid devastating losses down the road. We know wildfire prevention will cost $6 billion each year, and this proactive approach is more cost-effective, and it is the best way to protect our neighbors, keep our firefighters safe, and speed up help when families need it.
The passage of this bill is a major step forward. And I look forward to the full passage of my full Wildfire Modernization package as soon as possible. Now and for the future.
Thank you and I yield back.
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