National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025
What changed between versions
Replaced '50 States, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico' with 'States and Tribal jurisdictions,' broadening the bill's geographic and governmental scope to explicitly include Tribal jurisdictions.
Throughout the bill, references to 'and local' governments were changed to ', local, and Tribal' governments, extending program responsibilities and coordination requirements to include Tribal governments.
Removed 'and the compounding effects of climate on these hazards' from the list of multiple earthquake-associated hazards (liquefaction, tsunamis, landslides, structural fires).
Added a new definition of 'Tribal government' referencing section 421 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 658).
Replaced specific reference to 'Historically Black Colleges and Universities and those serving large proportions of Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific Americans, and other underrepresented populations' with a cross-reference to section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)).
Expanded covered building activities from 'and construction' to ', construction, evaluation, and retrofitting' in multiple sections, adding evaluation and retrofitting as explicitly covered activities.
Tightened implementation language: changed from 'execute research, projects, grants, and other activities that support, promote, advance, or otherwise implement the recommendations' to 'implement, within the Program activities authorized by this Act, the applicable recommendations,' making the obligation more bounded and limited to existing authorized program activities.
Added a requirement to coordinate with NOAA and FEMA on data sharing and resource allocation for timely response to oceanic earthquakes and tsunamis.
Added citation to a 2023 FEMA/USGS report (FEMA P-366) estimating $14.7 billion in annualized earthquake losses and $107.8 trillion in total national economic exposure.
Reduced annual funding for one program line from $10,590,000 to $8,500,000 for fiscal years 2024 through 2028 (a reduction of approximately 20 percent).
Reduced annual funding for another program line from $100,900,000 to $92,427,000 for fiscal years 2024 through 2028 (a reduction of approximately 8.4 percent), while maintaining the $36,000,000 minimum for Advanced National Seismic System completion.
Reduced annual funding for a third program line from $58,000,000 to $54,000,000 for fiscal years 2024 through 2028 (a reduction of approximately 6.9 percent).
Added a new funding controls section requiring that agency funds may only come from amounts authorized to be appropriated to that agency in advance via appropriations Acts, and that any cancelled appropriations must be transferred to the Treasury general fund for deficit reduction.
