Press Releases

Yesterday, the bipartisan Post-Disaster Protection Act, led by Congressman Mike Ezell (MS-04), Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10), and Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds (MP-AL), passed the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s markup, bringing the legislation one step closer to a vote on the House floor.

The legislation would extend the deadline for applicants to appeal denials of FEMA disaster assistance from 60 to 90 days, matching the amount of time FEMA has to review an appeal. The extension would apply to individual disaster survivors as well as government applicants, including states, cities, counties, and utilities.

“Communities across South Mississippi know firsthand that recovering from a natural disaster is difficult enough without unnecessary hurdles from the federal government," Ezell said. "The Post-Disaster Protection Act is a commonsense fix that gives families and local communities more time to navigate FEMA’s appeals process and make their case. If FEMA gets 90 days to review an appeal, disaster survivors deserve the same amount of time to submit one. I’m glad to see this bipartisan bill advance out of committee, and I look forward to working to get it across the finish line.”

“When disaster strikes, people should not have to race against the clock to prove that they need help,” Frost said. “If FEMA has 90 days to review an appeal, survivors should have 90 days to make their case. This is a simple fix that gives families and communities the time they need to gather documents, correct mistakes, and access the assistance they are entitled to.”

“Disaster survivors and communities are often navigating an overwhelming recovery process while trying to access the federal assistance they need,” King-Hinds said. “Having experienced firsthand the challenges of disaster recovery in the Northern Mariana Islands, I understand how difficult it can be to gather documentation, navigate federal requirements, and appeal a decision while rebuilding lives and critical infrastructure. The Post-Disaster Protection Act is a practical step that gives disaster survivors and local governments a fair opportunity to make their case. I am proud to join Representatives Frost and Ezell in advancing this bipartisan legislation and ensuring that communities across our nation have the time and support they need to recover.”

"Disaster survivors are often at their most vulnerable when they're forced to navigate FEMA's complex appeals process," National Association of Counties Executive Director Matthew Chase said. "The Post-Disaster Protection Act provides much-needed fairness by giving survivors 90 days to appeal a denial, giving them the time they need to gather documentation and correct errors after a disaster upends their lives. This commonsense change will help more residents successfully access the relief they're entitled to and ease the burden on local governments working to help our communities recover. As this legislation heads to markup, counties urge the T&I Committee to advance this bipartisan legislation."

“One of the biggest challenges of responding to and recovering from a disaster is managing the complexities of federal programs," A.J. Gary, NEMA President said. "The Post-Disaster Protection Act will bring applicant deadlines into alignment with federal review periods and help ease the burden on disaster survivors. NEMA thanks the Members willing to co-sponsor and make this bill truly bipartisan.”

“The National League of Cities supports the Post-Disaster Protection Act, which would give communities additional time to appeal FEMA assistance decisions," Yucel Ors, Legislative Director, Public Safety and Crime Prevention, National League of Cities said. "We thank Representatives Maxwell Frost, Mike Ezell, and Kimberlyn King-Hinds for championing this important bipartisan legislation.”

The National Association of Counties, Community Associations Institute, United States Conference of Mayors, National League of Cities, and National Emergency Management Association endorse the bill.

The Post-Disaster Protection Act is cosponsored by Reps. Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Kimberlyn King-Hinds (R-VI), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Byron Donalds (R-FL), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Scott Franklin (R-FL), Mike Haridopolos (R-FL), Laurel Lee (R-FL), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Brian Mast (R-FL), Cory Mills (R-FL), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Darren Soto (D-FL), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Daniel Webster (R-FL), and Frederica Wilson (D-FL).

###