I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 501 
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 
JANUARY 16, 2025 
Mr. EDWARDS (for himself and Ms. TITUS) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend certain laws relating to disaster recovery and 
relief with respect to the implementation of building 
codes, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Promoting Resilient 
Buildings Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. PREDISASTER HAZARD MITIGATION. 
Section 203 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(m) LATEST PUBLISHED EDITIONS.—For purposes 
of subsections (e)(1)(B)(iv) and (g)(10), the term ‘latest 
published editions’ means, with respect to relevant con-
sensus-based codes, specifications, and standards, the 2 
most recently published editions.’’. 
SEC. 3. HAZARD MITIGATION REVOLVING LOAN FUND PRO-
GRAM. 
Section 205(f)(5) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5135(f)(5)) is amended— 
(1) in the paragraph heading by striking ‘‘ES-
TABLISHING’’ and insert ‘‘IMPLEMENTING’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘establish’’ and insert ‘‘imple-
ment’’; 
(3) by inserting ‘‘2’’ after ‘‘latest’’; and 
(4) by inserting ‘‘, including any amendments 
made by State, local, Tribal, or territorial govern-
ments to such codes, specifications, and standards,’’ 
after ‘‘standards’’. 
SEC. 4. RESIDENTIAL RETROFIT AND RESILIENCE PILOT 
PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Administrator of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency shall carry out 
a residential resilience pilot program through the program 
established under section 203 of the Robert T. Stafford 
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Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5133) to make available assistance to States and local gov-
ernments for the purpose of providing grants to individ-
uals for residential resilience retrofits. 
(b) AMOUNT OF FUNDS.—The Administrator may 
use not more than 10 percent of the assistance made avail-
able to applicants on an annual basis under section 203 
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133) to provide assistance 
under this section. 
(c) TIMELINE.—The Administrator shall establish 
the pilot program under this section not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act and the program 
shall terminate on September 30, 2028. 
(d) PRIORITY.—In carrying out the pilot program 
under this section, the Administrator shall ensure that a 
State or local government receiving assistance under the 
program provides grants to individuals that demonstrate 
financial need. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 4 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit 
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Sen-
ate a report that includes— 
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(1) a summary of the grant awards and 
projects carried out under this section; 
(2) a detailed compilation of results achieved by 
the grant awards and projects carried out under this 
section, including the number of homes receiving ret-
rofits, the types and average costs of retrofits, demo-
graphic information for participants in the program, 
and estimate avoidance in disaster impacts and Fed-
eral disaster payments as a result of the grant in-
vestments; and 
(3) any identified implementation challenges 
and recommendations for improvements to the pilot 
program. 
(f) APPLICABILITY.—This section shall only apply to 
amounts appropriated on or after the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
(g) 
RESIDENTIAL
RESILIENT
RETROFITS
DE-
FINED.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—In this section, the term 
‘‘residential resilient retrofits’’ means a project 
that— 
(A) is designed to increase the resilience of 
an existing home or residence using mitigation 
measures which the administrator determines 
reduce damage and impacts from natural dis-
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aster hazards and risks that are most likely to 
occur in the area where the home is located; 
and 
(B) to the extent applicable, are consistent 
with the 2 most recently published editions of 
relevant consensus-based codes, specifications, 
and standards, including any amendments made 
by State, local, tribal, or territorial governments 
to such codes, specifications, and standards 
that incorporate the latest hazard-resistant de-
signs and establish criteria for the design, con-
struction, and maintenance of residential struc-
tures and facilities that may be eligible for as-
sistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) for the purpose of pro-
tecting the health, safety, and general welfare 
of the buildings’ users against disasters. 
(2) INCLUSION.—In this section, the term ‘‘res-
idential resilient retrofits’’ includes— 
(A) elevations of homes and elevations of 
utilities within and around structures to miti-
gate damages; 
(B) floodproofing measures; 
(C) the construction of tornado safe rooms; 
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(D) seismic retrofits; 
(E) wildfire retrofit and mitigation meas-
ures; 
(F) wind retrofits, including roof replace-
ments, hurricane straps, and tie-downs; and 
(G) any other measures that meet the re-
quirements of paragraph (1), as determined by 
the Administrator. 
Æ 
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