H.R. 5794

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5794 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5794

To authorize the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency to continue disaster relief, recovery, and mitigation operations 
funded through the Disaster Relief Fund in the event of a lapse in 
appropriations, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 21, 2025

Mr. Bell (for himself, Mr. Moulton, and Mr. Fields) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To authorize the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency to continue disaster relief, recovery, and mitigation operations 
funded through the Disaster Relief Fund in the event of a lapse in 
appropriations, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``FEMA Operations Continuity Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. CONTINUATION OF FEMA OPERATIONS DURING A LAPSE IN 
APPROPRIATIONS.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in the event of a lapse 
in appropriations, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency shall be authorized to--
(1) continue all disaster relief, recovery, and mitigation 
operations funded through the Disaster Relief Fund;
(2) obligate and disburse Disaster Relief Fund balances for 
all existing and future disaster declarations, including 
individual and public assistance under sections 403, 406, 407, 
408, and 502 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b, 5172, 5173, 5174, 
and 5192); and
(3) maintain personnel and contract support necessary to 
ensure uninterrupted processing of claims and payments.

SEC. 3. USE OF DISASTER RELIEF FUND.

(a) Availability.--All unobligated balances in the Disaster Relief 
Fund shall remain available to the Administrator for expenditure during 
a lapse in appropriations.
(b) Prohibition on Diversion.--No funds from the Disaster Relief 
Fund may be withheld, sequestered, or reprogrammed during a lapse in 
appropriations, except as necessary to comply with section 1341 of 
title 31, United States Code (commonly referred to as the `Anti-
Deficiency Act').

SEC. 4. EXCEPTION FROM GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN RESTRICTIONS.

For purposes of section 1341 of title 31, United States Code 
(commonly referred to as the `Anti-Deficiency Act'), operations of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency authorized under this Act shall be 
considered essential to protect human life and property, and therefore 
exempt from shutdown restrictions.
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