Velázquez Introduces Disaster Resilience Package to Protect Puerto Rico and New York as Hurricane Season Intensifies

WASHINGTON- As hurricane season intensifies and communities in Puerto Rico and New York brace for heavy rains and flooding, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) unveiled a package of five bills to strengthen disaster response, reform flood insurance, and protect people from price gouging during emergencies.

"The climate crisis has increased the frequency and severity of natural disasters that ruin lives and devastate our communities," said Congresswoman Velázquez. "The federal government must meet the moment and deliver the support Americans need to recover when disaster strikes. These bills will help ensure families are not left stranded, overcharged, or underserved in times of crisis our communities know the devastation that flooding and hurricanes can bring,"

The legislative package includes:

• Strengthening Capacity for Disaster Resilient Territories Act - Requires the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) to identify and address specific capability gaps and challenges that the U.S. territories (government entities, NGOs, and other grant recipients) experience while conducting recovery activities after a major disaster.
• Data Improvement for Puerto Rico Recovery Act -The legislation would require federal agencies providing recovery grants for Puerto Rico to report on the critical data gaps they face while administering these grants and indicate the federal statistical products to which Puerto Rico should be integrated into.
• Flood Insurance Tax Credit Act of 2025 - Creates a refundable tax credit covering 33% of flood insurance premiums for families under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), making coverage more affordable for working households.
• National Flood Insurance Program Administrative Reform Act of 2025 - Strengthens oversight, transparency, and fairness within the NFIP by giving homeowners the option for enhanced coverage, cracking down on fraud, requiring faster claim decisions, and improving communication with policyholders.
• AirFAIR Act - Protects consumers from airline price-gouging during declared disasters by capping fare increases at 30% and granting the Department of Transportation authority to lower the cap when needed.

"Whether it's families in New York City who see their basements flood after just two inches of rain, or Puerto Ricans facing the devastation of another hurricane, our people deserve fair treatment, affordable protections, and responsive government when disaster strikes," said CongresswomanVelázquez.

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