NEWS: Sens. Schiff, Ernst Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Support for Building Permitting Process Following Natural Disasters

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) introduced the Reducing Red Tape for Rebuilding Act, bipartisan legislation to expand the support local governments can receive from the federal government to help with the rebuilding process following natural disasters.

Specifically, the bill would extend the timeline in which local governments can receive support from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) including providing base and overtime wages for additional staff to help with building code enforcement and processing building permits to two years following a natural disaster, which are a critical step to help communities rebuild. The bill also provides recipients the flexibility to decide when the two-year period starts rather than starting the day a disaster declaration is made.

"After disaster strikes, communities should be able to access support from the federal government without delay or bureaucratic red tape. But our current laws are not working as they should. I'm proud to partner with Senator Ernst on this bipartisan bill to change the law and expand the help localities can receive to process rebuilding projects more quickly following disasters," said Senator Schiff.

"I've seen firsthand the devastating effects natural disasters can have on our communities in Iowa. What folks who aren't immediately impacted often forget is that after the initial shock of a devastating storm or flood fades, the road to rebuilding entire homes and towns is a long one. I'm proud to work on a bipartisan solution to proactively reduce these impacts and help communities overcome the red tape to recover from disasters," said Senator Ernst.

Under current law, FEMA can provide local governments with base and overtime wages support for additional staff to help with building code enforcement including permit processing for 180 days following a major disaster declaration.

However, because at 180 days most fire-impacted communities are still clearing debris, many local governments are unable to access this benefit under current law. The U.S. Army Corps completed the fastest debris removal process in history after the Eaton and Palisades fires, but the process still took 10 months to complete-substantially longer than 180 days, demonstrating the need for a change in federal policy.

Local permitting departments often already face significant backlogs, and permitting and staffing needs can increase more than 100 percent post-disaster with those heightened resource requirements continuing for as long as five years after the event. This bill would extend the timeline within which communities can receive this support from FEMA and create additional flexibility so local governments can access this benefit when it is most needed.

To address this, the Reducing Red Tape for Rebuilding Act would:

• Extend this support for local governments to access to two years following a natural disaster, instead of the original 180 days.
• Provide recipients the flexibility to decide when the two-year period starts rather than starting the day a disaster declaration is made.

The bill is endorsed by: the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), National Emergency Management Association (NEMA), International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), National Association of Counties (NaCo), International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), International Code Council (ICC), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS), National Electrical Manufacturer's Association (NEMA), California Fire Chiefs, the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA), BuildStrong America, Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), and the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC), and National Association of Realtors (NAR).

"There are decades of data that demonstrate that up-to-date building and fire codes significantly reduce fatalities, injuries, and property loss. Facilitating their proper implementation through FEMA reimbursement is a cost-effective strategy that mitigates future disaster risk. NFPA thanks Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) for their work to ensure continued FEMA assistance to allow critical work to continue after disasters occur," said Jim Pauley, the President and CEO of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

"Counties are on the front lines of disaster recovery, working quickly to rebuild critical infrastructure and ensure our communities return stronger and more resilient. The Reducing Red Tape for Rebuilding Act provides much-needed flexibility by allowing counties to fully utilize skilled workers and resources over a longer timeframe, helping us implement modern building codes and accelerate recovery efforts. This commonsense change will reduce administrative barriers and ensure federal support better aligns with the realities on the ground. Counties thank Senators Schiff and Ernst for their leadership in advancing policies that strengthen county resilience and support local governments in times of need," said National Association of Counties Executive Director Matthew Chase.

"On behalf of the International Code Council's 60,000 + members, I applaud Senators Ernst and Schiff for introducing the Reducing Red Tape for Rebuilding Act. Building safety professionals play a key role in helping our nation recover from disasters and are committed to being good stewards of taxpayer dollars. ICC members recognize that code adoption, enforcement, and building permit issuance must be expedited to ensure communities can recover swiftly and safely after disasters. The Reducing Red Tape for Rebuilding Act bill will ensure that permitting officials have the resources and flexibility to provide these essential services to our neighbors and friends in their time of need," said Mike Boso, President, Board of Directors, International Code Council.

"Sound, modern building codes save lives, but only if communities have the qualified staff to enforce them. By extending the existing FEMA assistance eligibility window to two years, this bill gives disaster-impacted areas a real shot at rebuilding stronger, more resilient infrastructure - that will withstand the next disaster, not just the last one," said BuildStrong America Executive Director Natalie Enclade.

"The National Association of Home Builders commends Sens. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) for introducing the Reducing Red Tape for Rebuilding Act, bipartisan legislation that will help communities rebuild more quickly after disasters. The bill allows FEMA to cover the cost of additional staff for a longer period of time. For builders, that means fewer delays caused by understaffed local departments, more efficient permitting and inspections, and a faster path to getting housing projects back underway during recovery," said Bill Owens, Chairman, National Association of Home Builders.

"The rebuilding of communities in the wake of natural disasters is essential to restoring stability and peace of mind for affected families. In far too many circumstances, the road to recovery is too long and layered in bureaucracy. We thank Senators Adam Schiff and Joni Ernst for introducing the Reducing Red Tape for Rebuilding Act, an important bill that aims to address the permitting backlog for communities working to recover from natural disasters," said Bill Killmer, Senior Vice President, Legislative and Political Affairs, Mortgage Bankers Association.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

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