H.R. 5794: FEMA Operations Continuity Act of 2025

119th Congress · introduced 2025-10-21 · Emergency Management · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

federal

What does this mean?

Official title

FEMA Operations Continuity Act of 2025

Plain summary

FEMA Operations Continuity Act of 2025 This bill authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to continue certain disaster relief, recovery, and mitigation operations during a lapse in appropriations (i.e., government shutdown). Specifically, the bill authorizes FEMA to continue all disaster relief, recovery, and mitigation operations funded through the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF); obligate and disburse DRF balances for all existing and future disaster declarations, including individual and public assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; and maintain personnel and contract support necessary to ensure uninterrupted processing of claims and payments. The bill also (1) requires all unobligated balances in the DRF to remain available to FEMA for expenditure during a lapse in appropriations; and (2) prohibits the funds from being withheld, sequestered, or reprogrammed during a lapse in appropriations, except as necessary to comply with the Antideficiency Act. Finally, the bill specifies that, for the purposes of the Antideficiency Act, the FEMA operations authorized by this bill must be considered essential to protect human life and property and are exempt from government shutdown restrictions.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

FEMA Operations Continuity Act of 2025

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Seth Moulton (D-MA), Cleo Fields (D-LA), Shomari Figures (D-AL), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1] reported raising $4.0 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Words on this page, explained (4)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Exemption: A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-119hr5794.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/119/hr>

Record fed-us-cong119-hr5794 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong119 · updated 2026-11-03 by psicol fed-bills