Don was a leader on the PIPES Act of 2023 that our Committee voted unanimously to advance in December.

Thank you, Chairman Nehls, for calling this hearing on pipeline safety and for your kind words about our colleague and friend, Representative Donald M. Payne, Jr.

The approach for addressing the health of the Disaster Relief Fund is the $9 billion supplemental request that was submitted last year.

The Disaster Relief Fund is expected to run out sometime this August.

What it will mean is that some projects that were slated to get funding otherwise will be delayed.

We were in a situation of Immediate Needs Funding last year as well, where payments had to be slowed.

This law creates a great incentive for states to proactively fund mitigation measures.

Disasters cost taxpayers billions of dollars each year. Last year, climate and weather-related disasters caused over $92.9 billion in impacts nationwide.

According to the National Institute of Building Sciences, every $1 invested in hazard mitigation results in $13 saved.

Submissions for the Record by Hon. Rick Larsen:

FEMA can help States and disaster survivors cover some recovery costs, but many disasters go undeclared.