Polis's Recoupment, Wildfire Mitigation Measures Included in FEMA Reauthorization Bill passed by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today, floor vote expected soon

Press Release

Language from Representative Jared Polis's bills on wildfire mitigation and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recoupment payments was included in a FEMA reauthorization bill (the FEMA Disaster Assistance Reform Act of 2015) that passed the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today.

Polis introduced the bipartisan Wildfire Prevention Act of 2015 in February. It updated FEMA's guidelines for releasing disaster relief funds to ensure that victims of wildfires have access to the same resources as other natural disasters. Under current law, victims of wildfires aren't eligible for "post-disaster" mitigation assistance available to victims of other natural disasters, such as hurricanes and tornadoes. These resources can be used to mitigate the effects of wildfires and prevent future fires.

The FEMA reauthorization bill that passed Committee today provides mitigation assistance grants for up to 15 percent of the total cost of fire suppression efforts to states, tribes, and local communities.

In March, Polis partnered with fellow Colorado Representative Ken Buck to introduce the bipartisan Disaster Assistance Fairness and Accountability Act, which would protect victims of natural disasters from aggressive attempts by FEMA to collect erroneous aid payments issued through no fault of the victim. Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

The FEMA reauthorization bill that passed through Committee today includes language contained within that bill setting a statute of limitations of three years on FEMA disaster repayments.

It's estimated that nearly 150 Colorado flood victims in Boulder County received FEMA recoupment notices last fall.

"We're excited that both of these Colorado priorities were included in today's FEMA reauthorization," Polis said. "These measures are common-sense fixes that will help make government become more efficient and more responsive to the people it serves."

The bipartisan FEMA Disaster Assistance Reform Act passed by unanimous consent, and is expected to move to the floor soon for a vote by the full House of Representatives.

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