To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to include extreme heat in the definition of a major disaster.
Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill expands what qualifies as a 'major disaster' under federal law to include extreme heat and cold events. Currently, FEMA can declare major disasters for hurricanes, floods, and other catastrophes, but extreme heat is not explicitly included. This change would allow states to request federal disaster assistance when dangerous heat waves or cold snaps strike.
Who Benefits and How
State and local governments benefit by gaining access to FEMA disaster relief funds and resources during extreme temperature events. Healthcare systems serving heat-vulnerable populations could receive federal support. Outdoor workers, elderly residents, and homeless populations in affected areas would have access to cooling centers and emergency services funded through disaster declarations.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The federal government (specifically FEMA) would face expanded obligations to respond to a new category of disasters, potentially increasing claim volumes. Taxpayers indirectly bear the cost of expanded disaster relief, though the bill explicitly states no additional funds are authorized.
Key Provisions
- Adds 'extreme temperature' to the Stafford Act definition of major disaster (42 U.S.C. 5122)
- Enables governors to request FEMA major disaster declarations for heat waves and cold snaps
- Explicitly authorizes no additional appropriations for implementation
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Amends the Stafford Disaster Relief Act to include extreme temperature (heat and cold) in the definition of major disaster, enabling FEMA disaster declarations and federal assistance for extreme heat events.
Key Policy Areas
Emergency Management, Climate Adaptation, Public Health
Primary Purpose
Amends the Stafford Disaster Relief Act to include extreme temperature (heat and cold) in the definition of major disaster, enabling FEMA disaster declarations and federal assistance for extreme heat events.
Policy Domains
Extreme Heat Emergency Act of 2024
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- State and local governments
- Healthcare systems
- Vulnerable populations (elderly, outdoor workers, homeless)
- Emergency management agencies
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
- Federal government (FEMA)
- Federal taxpayers
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
ReportedReported by Mr. Peters, with an amendment and an amendment …
Ms. Rosen introduced the following bill; which was read twice …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
State and local emergency management agencies
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "fema"
- → Federal Emergency Management Agency
- "president"
- → President of the United States (for disaster declarations)
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
Any natural catastrophe including extreme temperature, hurricane, tornado, storm, high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, or drought, or regardless of cause, any fire, flood, or explosion, which the President determines causes damage warranting supplemental Federal assistance
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology