I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9680 
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act to expand eligibility for individual and public assistance to certain 
areas and to include cumulative damage from multiple natural catas-
trophes in the definition of major disaster, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 19, 2024 
Mr. BABIN (for himself and Mr. GARAMENDI) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act to expand eligibility for individual 
and public assistance to certain areas and to include 
cumulative damage from multiple natural catastrophes 
in the definition of major disaster, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Regional Impact of 
Disasters and Emergencies Relief Act’’ or the ‘‘RIDER 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. CONTIGUOUS AREA. 
Section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as 
subsections (c) and (d), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(b) CONTIGUOUS AREA.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Any area under the juris-
diction of a State, local government, or Indian tribal 
government, including an area located in a State for 
which the President did not declare a major disaster, 
that is contiguous to an area that the President des-
ignates as eligible for any form of covered assistance 
as a result of a major disaster (in this paragraph re-
ferred to as the ‘eligible area’) may be designated by 
the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Man-
agement Agency as being eligible for any form of 
covered assistance for which the eligible area is eligi-
ble with respect to such disaster. 
‘‘(2) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term 
‘covered assistance’ means— 
‘‘(A) hazard mitigation assistance provided 
under section 404; 
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‘‘(B) any assistance provided to an indi-
vidual or household under sections 408, 410, 
415, 416, or 426; and 
‘‘(C) any public assistance provided under 
sections 403, 406, or 407.’’. 
SEC. 3. CUMULATIVE DAMAGE. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 102(2) of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5122(2)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘ ‘Major disaster’ means’’ and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘major dis-
aster’ means’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(B) INCLUSION.—The term ‘major dis-
aster’ includes a series of 2 or more natural ca-
tastrophes, fires, floods, or explosions described 
in subparagraph (A)— 
‘‘(i) with respect to each of which the 
Governor of the affected State requested 
that the President declare that a major 
disaster exists under section 401(a); 
‘‘(ii) that occurred during a 12-month 
period; and 
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‘‘(iii) that individually do not cause 
damage of sufficient severity and mag-
nitude to warrant major disaster assistance 
under this Act, but that, in the determina-
tion of the President, cumulatively causes 
damage of sufficient severity and mag-
nitude to warrant such assistance.’’. 
SEC. 4. INTERIM GUIDANCE. 
Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency shall issue interim guidance to imple-
ment the amendments made by sections 2 and 3. 
SEC. 5. RULEMAKING. 
Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the President, acting through the Adminis-
trator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 
shall issue such rules and regulations as are necessary 
to— 
(1) ensure compliance with section 1232 of the 
FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (42 U.S.C. 5170 
note); and 
(2) implement the amendments made by sec-
tions 2 and 3. 
Æ 
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