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Union Calendar No. 246 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5473 

[Report No. 118–305] 

To amend certain laws relating to disaster recovery and relief with respect 

to the implementation of building codes, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 

Mr. EDWARDS (for himself and Mr. NORCROSS) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

DECEMBER 11, 2023 

Additional sponsors: Mrs. GONZA ́LEZ-COLO ́N, Mr. LANGWORTHY, and Mr. 

GOTTHEIMER

DECEMBER 11, 2023 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on September 14, 2023] 


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•HR 5473 RH

A BILL 

To amend certain laws relating to disaster recovery and 

relief with respect to the implementation of building 

codes, and for other purposes. 


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•HR 5473 RH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Promoting Resilient 

5 Buildings Act of 2023’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PREDISASTER HAZARD MITIGATION. 

7 Section 203 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 

8 and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133) is amend9 ed by adding at the end the following: 

10 ‘‘(m) LATEST PUBLISHED EDITIONS.—For purposes of 

11 subsections (e)(1)(B)(iv) and (g)(10), the term ‘latest pub12 lished editions’ means, with respect to relevant consensus13 based codes, specifications, and standards, the 2 most re14 cently published editions.’’. 

15 SEC. 3. HAZARD MITIGATION REVOLVING LOAN FUND PRO16 GRAM. 

17 Section 205(f)(5) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 

18 Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5135(f)(5)) 

19 is amended— 

20 (1) in the paragraph heading by striking ‘‘ES21 TABLISHING’’ and insert ‘‘IMPLEMENTING’’; 

22 (2) by striking ‘‘establish’’ and insert ‘‘imple23 ment’’; 

24 (3) by inserting ‘‘2’’ after ‘‘latest’’; and 


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1 (4) by inserting ‘‘, including any amendments 

2 made by State, local, Tribal, or territorial govern3 ments to such codes, specifications, and standards,’’ 

4 after ‘‘standards’’. 

5 SEC. 4. RESIDENTIAL RETROFIT AND RESILIENCE PILOT 

6 PROGRAM. 

7 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Administrator of the Fed8 eral Emergency Management Agency shall carry out a resi9 dential resilience pilot program through the program estab10 lished under section 203 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 

11 Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133) to 

12 make available assistance to States and local governments 

13 for the purpose of providing grants to individuals for resi14 dential resilience retrofits. 

15 (b) AMOUNT OF FUNDS.—The Administrator may use 

16 not more than 10 percent of the assistance made available 

17 to applicants on an annual basis under section 203 of the 

18 Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist19 ance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133) to provide assistance under this 

20 section. 

21 (c) TIMELINE.—The Administrator shall establish the 

22 pilot program under this section not later than 1 year after 

23 the date of enactment of this Act and the program shall 

24 terminate on September 30, 2026. 


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1 (d) PRIORITY.—In carrying out the pilot program 

2 under this section, the Administrator shall ensure that a 

3 State or local government receiving assistance under the 

4 program provides grants to individuals that demonstrate 

5 financial need. 

6 (e) REPORT.—Not later than 4 years after the date of 

7 enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to 

8 the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 

9 House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 

10 Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report 

11 that includes— 

12 (1) a summary of the grant awards and projects 

13 carried out under this section; 

14 (2) a detailed compilation of results achieved by 

15 the grant awards and projects carried out under this 

16 section, including the number of homes receiving ret17 rofits, the types and average costs of retrofits, demo18 graphic information for participants in the program, 

19 and estimate avoidance in disaster impacts and Fed20 eral disaster payments as a result of the grant invest21 ments; and 

22 (3) any identified implementation challenges 

23 and recommendations for improvements to the pilot 

24 program. 


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1 (f) APPLICABILITY.—This section shall only apply to 

2 amounts appropriated on or after the date of enactment of 

3 this Act. 

4 (g) RESIDENTIAL RESILIENT RETROFITS DEFINED.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—In this section, the term ‘‘resi6 dential resilient retrofits’’ means a project that— 

7 (A) is designed to increase the resilience of 

8 an existing home or residence using mitigation 

9 measures which the administrator determines re10 duce damage and impacts from natural disaster 

11 hazards and risks that are most likely to occur 

12 in the area where the home is located; and 

13 (B) to the extent applicable, are consistent 

14 with the 2 most recently published editions of 

15 relevant consensus-based codes, specifications, 

16 and standards, including any amendments made 

17 by State, local, tribal, or territorial governments 

18 to such codes, specifications, and standards that 

19 incorporate the latest hazard-resistant designs 

20 and establish criteria for the design, construc21 tion, and maintenance of residential structures 

22 and facilities that may be eligible for assistance 

23 under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 

24 Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et 

25 seq.) for the purpose of protecting the health, 


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1 safety, and general welfare of the buildings’ users 

2 against disasters. 

3 (2) INCLUSION.—In this section, the term ‘‘resi4 dential resilient retrofits’’ includes— 

5 (A) elevations of homes and elevations of 

6 utilities within and around structures to miti7 gate damages; 

8 (B) floodproofing measures; 

9 (C) the construction of tornado safe rooms; 

10 (D) seismic retrofits; 

11 (E) wildfire retrofit and mitigation meas12 ures; 

13 (F) wind retrofits, including roof replace14 ments, hurricane straps, and tie-downs; and 

15 (G) any other measures that meet the re16 quirements of paragraph (1), as determined by 

17 the Administrator. 


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Union Calendar No. 246 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5473 

[Report No. 118–305] 

A BILL 

To amend certain laws relating to disaster recovery 

building codes, and for other purposes. and relief with respect to the implementation of 

DECEMBER 11, 2023 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


ssavage on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS