Community leaders in Appalachia are urging the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to keep up progress on advancing the bipartisan Fixing Emergency Management for Americans Act.
The legislation would reform disaster recovery and make changes to public assistance funding, Rebecca Shelton, director of policy for the Appalachian Citizens Law Center, said the measure will make it easier for rural households and small businesses to get back on their feet after extreme weather events.
"Not only is this bill going to make the recovery processes for communities and for households go more smoothly, it is also going to reinstate a program to help invest in mitigation projects," Shelton explained.
Kentucky has experienced numerous weather and climate disasters in the past five years, including tornadoes, flooding, and winter storms, costing the state billions of dollars, according to federal data. Last year, FEMA provided nearly $4 million in disaster aid to individual households across the Commonwealth.
Shelton pointed out public assistance funding currently operates as a reimbursement process, which creates hardship in low-income communities who cannot afford to foot the bill up front for hotel stays or repairs. The bill would change the process to offer money in the form of up-front grants.
"What will happen instead, if this bill is passed, is they will just be required to get quotes from a qualified contractor," Shelton outlined. "They will be provided a grant in order to do those repairs."
Advocates also are calling for expanding use of FEMA dollars for making permanent private road and bridge repairs to restore residential access; for providing money to more quickly repair homes occupied by renters, especially in rural areas with limited housing stock; and for the inclusion of language to ensure disaster mitigation and recovery work prioritizes opportunities for local workers.