SAFE Rural Act

This bill changes FEMA's predisaster hazard mitigation program (BRIC) so the President must carry it out, and funds would go to states and tribal governments by formula instead of through competition. It creates a SAFE Rural Fund, paid for with 2 percent of yearly Disaster Relief Fund appropriations, to give pass-through grants for flood projects in small, rural counties and towns. States and tribes would have to pass nearly all of this money on as subgrants, and project subgrants would generally need a 25 percent non-federal match, which FEMA could reduce or waive. The bill also sets aside 10 percent of the prior year's Disaster Relief Fund appropriations for the program, requires at least 15 percent of each allocation to go to small projects of $500,000 or less, and adds nature-based flood solutions as allowed uses.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Pat Harrigan Republican sponsor
• 2 cosponsors