October 21, 2021 11:00 a.m.

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee leaders Congressman Peter DeFazio and Ranking Member Sam Graves have introduced legislation to help expedite disaster recovery efforts, particularly in rural areas.

A release said the Small Project and Effective Disaster Recovery Act (SPEED), updates the threshold for what qualifies as a “small project” under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, also known as the Stafford Act. The release said this update will allow more recovery projects to proceed under simplified procedures and in turn streamline the process and paperwork for many projects, reduce administrative burdens and provide more certainty in the recovery process for communities.

DeFazio said, “After disaster strikes, local communities need the federal government to act as a partner in helping them recover and rebuild”. He said the bipartisan legislation will help make sure that the Federal Emergency Management Agency isn’t a hindrance to those efforts and that states, territorial and local governments can be reimbursed more quickly for projects that will help communities get back on their feet.

The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, which DeFazio chairs, has jurisdiction over the Federal Emergency Management Agency and federal disaster programs.