On the recordNovember 17, 2022
As a senior member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I rise in support of H.R. 8416, the ``Disasters of Survivors Fairness Act of 2022.'' The Federal Emergency Management Agency's mission is to help Americans prepare for, respond, and recover from disasters. From day one, FEMA has been committed to protecting and serving Americans who have been impacted by disasters. Unfortunately, though, the toll of disasters is much greater on most Americans than it is on those who are wealthier. A 2020 FEMA National Advisory Committee report stated that disaster relief programs ``provide an additional boost to wealthy homeowners and others with less need, while lower-income individuals and others sink further into poverty after disasters.'' It is unfair that any survivor of disasters must suffer because of disparities in FEMA disaster response that have gone unchallenged for far too long. For example, FEMA records show that low-income homeowners were denied 30 percent of the time compared to higher-income owners, who were denied 13 percent of the time, a 17-point difference. Unfortunately, these disparities reveal the experience of African American and Hispanic Americans. Threats posed by natural disasters intensify existing social and racial and ethnic inequities. After a natural disaster, people in disadvantaged communities have worse outcomes due to stresses or exposures to other risks associated with a disaster.…
