SAFE Rural Act
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (21 Jul 2026): Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
What this bill does
H.R. 9804, the SAFE Rural Act, would amend the Stafford Act's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) hazard-mitigation program. It would convert BRIC from a discretionary program into a mandatory one, change fund allocation rules to a formula (partly equal shares, partly weighted toward higher-population/lower-income areas, partly tied to demonstrated planning capacity), and require states or tribal governments to submit administrative plans meeting streamlined application standards. It also creates a new "SAFE Rural Fund," financed by setting aside 2 percent of FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund each year, to provide formula-based grants specifically for flood-resilience projects in small, rural, tribal, and territorial communities, including infrastructure repair and nature-based mitigation such as wetland restoration. A related Community Assistance Program would fund state and tribal hazard-mitigation staff capacity.
The bill primarily affects state, territorial, and Indian tribal governments that apply for and administer FEMA mitigation grants, as well as rural counties, small municipalities, and tribal organizations that would receive pass-through subgrants for flood-resilience projects. It also affects FEMA, which would take on new administrative, oversight, and reporting duties, including issuing implementing guidance and annual reports to Congress.
The bill was introduced on July 21, 2026, by Rep. Pat Harrigan and referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It has not yet received committee action, floor votes, or Senate consideration.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Timeline
21 Jul 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 9804 do?
- H.R. 9804, the SAFE Rural Act, would amend the Stafford Act's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) hazard-mitigation program. It would convert BRIC from a discretionary program into a mandatory one, change fund allocation rules to a formula (partly equal shares, partly weighted toward higher-population/lower-income areas, partly tied to demonstrated planning capacity), and require states or tribal governments to submit administrative plans meeting streamlined application standards. It also creates a new "SAFE Rural Fund," financed by setting aside 2 percent of FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund each year, to provide formula-based grants specifically for flood-resilience projects in small, rural, tribal, and territorial communities, including infrastructure repair and nature-based mitigation such as wetland restoration. A related Community Assistance Program would fund state and tribal hazard-mitigation staff capacity. The bill primarily affects state, territorial, and Indian tribal governments that apply for and administer FEMA mitigation grants, as well as rural counties, small municipalities, and tribal organizations that would receive pass-through subgrants for flood-resilience projects. It also affects FEMA, which would take on new administrative, oversight, and reporting duties, including issuing implementing guidance and annual reports to Congress. The bill was introduced on July 21, 2026, by Rep. Pat Harrigan and referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It has not yet received committee action, floor votes, or Senate consideration.
- Has H.R. 9804 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for H.R. 9804. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored H.R. 9804?
- H.R. 9804 was sponsored by Rep. Harrigan, Pat [R-NC-10] (R-NC), with 2 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 9804?
- Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. (21 Jul 2026).
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