MALDEN Act

The MALDEN Act (HR 6435) updates disaster aid rules for rural areas impacted by wildfires. It requires FEMA to coordinate with state or tribal emergency agencies to help rural communities develop recovery teams, specifically focusing on preventing secondary disasters like mudslides or flooding after wildfires and identifying resources for both immediate and long-term recovery. The bill also mandates that if individual aid is denied under Section 408, FEMA must make case workers available to affected residents in coordination with state or tribal agencies. This directly affects rural communities in wildfire zones by changing how recovery assistance is organized and delivered.