Disaster Declaration Transparency Act of 2026

Today's wording of each part of the law, with what would be struck out and added. Each change also gives the bill's own instruction, word for word.

1. 42 U.S.C. 5170added (d)by H.R. 8577 Sec. 2

   (d) Notification to Congress.—(1) Covered refusal.— In this subsection, the term covered refusal means an instance in which—(A) the Governor of a State requests a declaration by the President of a major disaster under subsection (a); and(B) the President declines to declare such a major disaster—(i) contrary to a recommendation provided by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency; or(ii) based on a recommendation by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency not to approve the declaration that is contrary to established precedent.(2) Notification requirement.— Not later than 24 hours after issuing a covered refusal, the President shall submit to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate a written explanation of the covered refusal.(e) Declaration by joint resolution.—(1) Definitions.— In this subsection:(A) Covered joint resolution.— The term covered joint resolution means only a joint resolution of either House of Congress—(i) introduced not later than 14 calendar days after the date on which Congress receives a notification under subsection (d)(2) relating to a covered refusal; and(ii) the sole matter after the resolving clause of which is as follows: "That the President shall declare a major disaster under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) relating to _______", the blanks being filled in with a description of the disaster that is the subject of the covered refusal.(B) Covered refusal.— The term covered refusal has the meaning given the term in subsection (d).(2) Introduction.— A covered joint resolution may be introduced—(A) in the House of Representatives, by the majority leader (or the majority leader's designee) or the minority leader (or the minority leader's designee); and(B) in the Senate, by the majority leader (or the majority leader's designee) or the minority leader (or the minority leader's designee).(3) Floor consideration in house of representatives.—(A) Discharge from committee.— If a committee of the House of Representatives to which a covered joint resolution has been referred has not reported the joint resolution within 2 calendar days after the date of referral of the joint resolution, the committee shall be discharged from further consideration of the joint resolution and the joint resolution shall be placed on the appropriate calendar.(B) Moving to consideration.— At any time after a covered joint resolution has been placed on the appropriate calendar, it is in order for the sponsor of the joint resolution (or a designee) to move for the consideration of that joint resolution.(C) Points of order; motions.— All points of order against the covered joint resolution and its consideration are waived. If the motion under subparagraph (B) is agreed to, the joint resolution shall remain the unfinished business of the House of Representatives until disposed of, except as provided in paragraph (5).(D) No amendments.— A covered joint resolution shall not be subject to amendment in the House of Representatives.(E) Debate.— General debate on a covered joint resolution shall not exceed 4 hours, which shall be equally divided and controlled by the sponsor of the joint resolution (or a designee) and an opponent.(F) Final passage.— At the conclusion of debate, the previous question shall be considered as ordered on the resolution, and the House of Representatives shall vote on final passage without intervening motion.(4) Consideration in the senate.—(A) Reporting and discharge.— If the committee of the Senate to which a covered joint resolution was referred has not reported the joint resolution within 2 calendar days after the date of referral of the joint resolution, that committee shall be discharged from further consideration of the joint resolution and the joint resolution shall be placed on the appropriate calendar.(B) Proceeding to consideration.— Notwithstanding Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, it is in order at any time after the committee of the Senate to which a covered joint resolution was referred reports the joint resolution to the Senate or has been discharged from consideration of the joint resolution (even though a previous motion to the same effect has been disagreed to) to move to proceed to the consideration of the joint resolution, and all points of order against the joint resolution (and against consideration of the joint resolution) are waived. The motion to proceed is not debatable. The motion is not subject to a motion to postpone.(C) No amendments.— An amendment to a covered joint resolution, or a motion to postpone, or a motion to proceed to the consideration of other business, or a motion to recommit a covered joint resolution, is not in order.(D) Consideration.—(i) Limitation on debate.— Consideration in the Senate of a covered joint resolution shall be limited to not more than 10 hours, which shall be equally divided between, and controlled by, the majority leader and the minority leader, or by their designees.(ii) Vote on adoption.— Whenever all the time for debate on a covered joint resolution has been used or yielded back, the vote on the passage of the resolution shall occur without any intervening motion or amendment, except that a single quorum call at the conclusion of the debate if requested in accordance with the Rules of the Senate may occur immediately before such vote.(E) Rulings of the chair on procedure.— Appeals from the decisions of the Chair relating to the application of the rules of the Senate, as the case may be, to the procedure relating to a covered joint resolution shall be decided without debate.(F) Consideration of veto messages.— Debate in the Senate of any veto message with respect to a covered joint resolution, including all debatable motions and appeals in connection with the joint resolution, shall be limited to 10 hours, to be equally divided

   The bill says: Section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) is amended by adding at the end the following:

   Bill text · Current law (42 U.S.C. 5170)

From the bill's official text on GovInfo and the U.S. Code, 2024 edition, which may not yet show changes made since.