This bill creates a detailed process for Congress to reverse a President's decision not to declare a requested major disaster under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. It defines a "covered refusal" when the President refuses a Governor's request either against FEMA Administrator advice or when FEMA's advice departs from established precedent. If a covered refusal occurs, the President must send a written explanation to the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate within 24 hours. Congress may consider a special "covered joint resolution" to require the President to declare the disaster. Such a resolution must be introduced within 14 days of the notification. The bill sets fast consideration rules in both chambers: committees have 2 days to act or are discharged; the House limits debate to 4 hours and disallows amendments; the Senate limits debate to 10 hours and also disallows amendments. The bill also sets procedures for handling identical measures between the two chambers and treats the rules as part of each Chamber's rules.
No publicly available information on costs or budgetary effects is included in the bill text or provided metadata.
The bill's text and title show the sponsors intend to create transparency and a congressional review path when the President refuses to declare a major disaster after a Governor's request and FEMA's recommendation.
No publicly available information on opponents' views or objections is included in the bill text or provided metadata.