Moskowitz, Carter Introduce Legislation to Replenish the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund

WASHINGTON, DC — Last week, Congressman Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23) and Congressman Troy Carter (D-LA-02) introduced the Allocating for Disaster Urgency and Long-term Tenability (ADULT) Act, legislation that would replenish FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) and ensure the agency can continue responding to disasters nationwide. Currently, the DRF is expected to exhaust all of its funds by May or June, with a projected opening balance of negative $1.730 billion at the beginning of June.

In particular, Moskowitz’s legislation would provide $26,367,000,000 for the DRF and comes right as Florida is about to enter hurricane season. With record-breaking government shutdowns that have left FEMA without its annual funding, this legislation is a critical step to ensure disaster relief funding is in place before the next storm hits and families are left paying the price for Washington’s dysfunction.

“Let’s be clear: disasters don’t wait for Congress to get its act together. They can strike anyone, anywhere, at any time, which is why the Disaster Relief Fund is so vital,” said Moskowitz. “The DRF is FEMA’s lifeline, helping families rebuild in the moments they need it most. Replenishing this critical fund isn’t political, it’s necessary. The Allocating for Disaster Urgency and Long-term Tenability Act does exactly that to ensure that when Americans need help, the federal government is ready to deliver.”

“Storms don’t discriminate and it’s more important than ever that we put people over politics to save lives and prepare our communities,” said Carter. “By replenishing FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund, we’re ensuring that the federal government isn’t only responding to current disasters, but also actively rebuilding from past events and mitigating future disasters. If Congressional Republicans can’t figure out how to fund DHS, they should at least provide funding for FEMA to continue vital operations.”

The Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) is FEMA’s primary source of funding for disaster response and recovery operations under the Stafford Act. It supports:

• Individual Assistance: Direct support for families and individuals recovering from disasters.
• Public Assistance: Funding for state, local, tribal governments, and nonprofits to remove debris, rebuild infrastructure, and restore essential services.
• Hazard Mitigation Grants: Investments that reduce long-term disaster risk and strengthen community resilience.

As a no-year fund, the DRF balances carry over from fiscal year to fiscal year, allowing FEMA to respond to immediate disasters while continuing long-term recovery efforts. If the fund is depleted, FEMA would be forced to:

• Halt non-life-saving recovery efforts nationwide.
• Stop reimbursements to state and local governments for disaster response and rebuilding.
• Suspend field operations and surge staffing for non-emergency missions.
• Lose operational capacity, including the ability to pay staff and sustain ongoing disaster response.
• Be unable to coordinate federal response following catastrophic incidents, including terrorist attacks.
• Sideline over 10,000 mission-essential employees and 1,000+ reservists, with no pay or back pay during the lapse.

Last month, Moskowitz led 43 of his colleagues in urging House appropriators to include robust funding for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund in the FY27 Homeland Security Appropriations bill, warning that as disasters become more frequent, severe, and costly, the demands on FEMA continue to grow and the gap between available resources and real-world needs is widening. This is part of a broader, ongoing effort by Moskowitz to push for sustained DRF funding year after year as disaster demands continue to intensify.

Moskowitz and Carter serve as co-chairs of the Bipartisan Congressional Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Caucus, working across the aisle to strengthen disaster response and ensure communities can recover fully after major events.

Before coming to Congress, Moskowitz served as Florida’s Director of Emergency Management from 2019-2021, where he oversaw the state’s response to major disasters, including Hurricane Michael and the COVID-19 pandemic. He has continued that work in Congress, focusing on strengthening disaster preparedness and ensuring communities have the resources they need when disaster strikes.

For more information on the Allocating for Disaster Urgency and Long-term Tenability (ADULT) Act, click HERE.