SE Texas Times

U.S. Congressmen Brian Babin (TX-36) and John Garamendi (CA-08), along with Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), have introduced the Regional Impact of Disasters and Emergencies Relief (RIDER) Act. This bipartisan bill aims to improve access to federal relief for communities affected by major disasters by amending existing laws.

Congressman Babin emphasized the need for this legislation, stating, "Too often, after a natural disaster, we have seen impacted communities excluded from financial help because of technicalities or subjective standards." He added that his goal with the RIDER Act is to ensure that businesses and homes receive necessary relief and resources for full recovery.

Congressman Garamendi highlighted the non-discriminatory nature of natural disasters, saying, "Natural disasters don’t care about county lines, and neither should FEMA’s disaster recovery efforts." He expressed satisfaction in partnering with Senators Warren and Cruz on this reform.

Senator Cruz pointed out Texas's frequent encounters with natural disasters. "We must do more to ensure our communities can rebuild in times of need," he said. He stressed the importance of enhancing the disaster declaration process so that all Texans can access necessary resources.

Senator Warren linked the increasing frequency of natural disasters to climate change. She stated, "The growing climate crisis means natural disasters and emergencies are only going to become more common." She believes that part of addressing this crisis involves being prepared to deliver critical relief through measures like the RIDER Act.

The RIDER Act proposes several changes:

- It will make all communities directly affected by a major disaster eligible for federal relief regardless of county or state lines.

- It will enable FEMA to declare major disasters based on cumulative damage over a 12-month period, addressing concerns about current regulations not accounting sufficiently for cumulative impacts on regions.