McBath, Lee Introduce Bill To Protect Vulnerable Communities From Violence and Exploitation During Disasters

Washington, DC – Today, Representative Lucy McBath (GA-06) and Congresswoman Laurel Lee (FL-15) introduced the FEMA for Safe Recovery Act, legislation that strengthens federal disaster response by ensuring it is equipped to protect women, girls, and other vulnerable communities when disaster strikes. “I’m proud to lead this effort to strengthen how our nation responds when natural disasters strike,” said Rep. McBath. “The FEMA for Safe Recovery Act closes the gaps that leave women, girls, and survivors of natural disasters vulnerable to violence and exploitation. By making disaster response more adaptable to the realities communities face, we can ensure that every survivor is seen, heard, and protected.” “Fighting human trafficking and exploitation in the wake of natural disasters takes a coordinated response,” said Rep. Laurel Lee. “The FEMA for Safe Recovery Act will strengthen our disaster response by ensuring FEMA personnel have the training and guidance to recognize potential violence, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking. I am proud to work with Congresswoman McBath on this bipartisan effort to ensure survivors have the support and protection they need when disaster strikes.” “Natural disasters amplify existing vulnerabilities, leaving women, children, and underserved communities at heightened risk of gendered violence, housing instability, and trafficking. Informed by our Congressional briefing and groundbreaking research with Tagnawa following the Lahaina wildfires, the bipartisan FEMA for Safe Recovery Act turns that evidence into action by making disaster response more gender-responsive and trauma-informed. We’re grateful to Representatives Lucy McBath and Laurel Lee for their leadership in ensuring disaster recovery is safer for survivors and communities nationwide,” said Yasmin Vafa, Executive Director, Rights4Girls. “The FEMA for Safe Recovery Act is historic because it acknowledges that commercial sexual exploitation is a tragic aspect of U.S. environmental disasters and shows that giving female survivors the space to tell their stories post-disaster matters for national policy change. The findings in the Equality in Flames report, which highlight the critical need for Congressional disaster response reform for women, were only made possible because women in Lahaina bravely chose to come forward with their experiences. We are deeply grateful to Representatives Lucy McBath and Laurel Lee for their bipartisan leadership in introducing this vital legislation to ensure federal disaster response protects the safety and dignity of every survivor nationwide, especially women.” said Khara Jabola-Carolus, Co-Author of Equality in Flames and Co-Founder of Tagnawa “The FEMA for Safe Recovery Act directly responds to what women in our community endured during the Lahaina fires and what survivors of gender-based violence across Hawaiʻi and nationwide continue to face in every disaster. Our research in Equality in Flames: The Impact of the Wildfire Disaster on Gender Equality and Filipino Women in Hawaiʻi documented that women were systematically overlooked in recovery. This bill changes that by requiring FEMA to embed the very solutions our community has been demanding. As climate disasters escalate across the country, from hurricanes to wildfires to floods, this legislation ensures that the lessons of Lahaina inform a more just and equitable disaster response for women everywhere. We are grateful to Representatives Lucy McBath and Laurel Lee for their bipartisan leadership in turning community testimony into systemic reform for generations to come.” said Nadezna Ortega, Executive Director, Tagnawa Hawaiʻi The FEMA for Safe Recovery Act: Directs FEMA to issue new guidance within one year to improve federal-local coordination, strengthen shelter safety, establish reporting protocols, deploy survivor advocates, and provide multilingual information. Expands crisis counseling and requires FEMA personnel to be trained to identify and support survivors of violence, exploitation, and trafficking. Ensures FEMA case management explicitly includes assistance for survivors navigating recovery. Requires FEMA to speak with all adult household members during disaster check-ins, giving women safe opportunities to disclose abuse. This legislation is supported by Rights4Girls, Tagnawa, World Without Exploitation, SK Sultana LLC, Women’s Equal Justice, Justice and Joy National Collaborative, Global Hope 365, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, Love Never Fails, Roxbury Youthworks, Inc., Sex Trade Survivor Caucus, Survivor Leader Network of San Diego, California Survivor Coalition and SPACE International. The full text of the bill can be found here .