Tillis bill streamlining federal disaster aid application advances to House

The U.S. House of Representatives will take action on a Senate-approved, bipartisan bill cosponsored by U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) that would simplify the application process for federal disaster recovery assistance. 

The Senate on July 27 unanimously passed the Disaster Assistance Simplification Act, S. 1528, which U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) sponsored in May. Sen. Tillis on July 18 signed on as a cosponsor of the bill. The House received it for consideration on Aug. 4.

“I applaud the Senate for passing this bipartisan legislation to create a universal application to get federal assistance sooner to the families and small businesses that need to be made whole again,” Sen. Tillis said.

If enacted, S. 1528 would amend federal law to require that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) establish a universal disaster application across federal agencies for disaster survivors who are seeking federal recovery aid, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Tillis’ staff.

The legislation would allow FEMA to share information on disaster survivors with other federal agencies to simplify recovery efforts and reduce the burden on survivors after a disaster, the summary says.

Additionally, S. 1528 would authorize FEMA as the lead agency to implement the universal application for victims who are seeking federal assistance to recover from hurricanes, floods, and wildfires, among other disasters. 

“North Carolinians know how unnecessarily complicated it is to apply for aid following a disaster, and it’s clear that reforms are needed to cut through the red tape and simplify the process,” said Sen. Tillis.