Foxx Reintroduces Disaster Recovery and Resilience Act

WASHINGTON – Today, Representative Virginia Foxx (R-NC) reintroduced the Disaster Recovery and Resilience Act , legislation that would implement comprehensive regulatory reform designed to aid areas impacted by natural disasters. “It has now been two years since Hurricane Helene hit the High Country and surrounding areas in Western North Carolina – the work continues to recover and rebuild. Every step of the way, I’ve worked extremely hard alongside FEMA and the administration so that funding for recovery can continue, and I have already helped secure $9 billion for the state,” said Representative Foxx. “Our beautiful district deserves more than funding – it deserves permanent regulatory reform. That said, I’m proud to reintroduce the Disaster Recovery and Resilience Act so that North Carolinians will never again have to bear the brunt of exhaustive, crippling red tape and regulatory burdens to simply rebuild what is ours.” BACKGROUND Specifically, the Disaster Recovery and Resilience Act would: Create an Emergency Recovery Board following a disaster declaration that would consists of representatives from DHS, DOT, HHS, HUD, FEMA, as well as corresponding state and local officials who are tasked with recommending to Congress temporary suspensions or modifications of rules, regulations, and laws that hinder disaster recovery and rebuilding. Allow the DHS Secretary to waive the Jones Act for 180 days if a vessel operator determines that disaster relief is needed in the disaster area. Waives the Davis-Bacon Act provisions for any project repairing damage in a disaster area which means projects will cost less to complete.