Bill > HR3661

This bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to take several comprehensive actions to improve the nation's response to extreme weather events, particularly heat and cold emergencies. Within six months of enactment, FEMA must create an advisory panel of emergency management experts to review and improve the process for determining "incident periods" for disasters, which are the timeframes during which federal assistance is available. The panel will include representatives from national emergency management organizations, county officials, the National Weather Service, and regional emergency management personnel, with an emphasis on including diverse perspectives from rural, urban, Tribal, and underrepresented jurisdictions. The panel will examine incident periods for various types of disasters, including slow-onset, non-contiguous, compound, and cascading events. FEMA is required to submit interim and final reports to Congress detailing the panel's findings and recommendations, followed by a rulemaking process to implement these recommendations. Additionally, the bill expands FEMA's ability to fund innovative preparedness and mitigation projects for extreme heat and cold, including establishing community cooling centers and resilience centers. FEMA must also conduct a comprehensive study on the impacts of extreme heat and cold, consulting with stakeholders and examining effects on communities, infrastructure, health outcomes, and emergency response. The study will evaluate geographical differences, emergency alert effectiveness, and develop guidance for community safety and government preparedness plans, with a report to be submitted to Congress within one year of the bill's enactment.

Business and Industry, Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3661/all-info