Promoting Resilient Buildings Act

Senate Bill

S. 388

119th Congress

Promoting Resilient Buildings Act

In Committee

Introduced:Feb 4, 2025

Primary Sponsor

John Cornyn

Senator

Republican

TX

Cosponsors

1

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Emergency Management

Summary

This bill modifies FEMA predisaster mitigation programs related to building codes, specifying that the two most recent code editions qualify for assistance. It removes building code activities from STRLF loans and creates a pilot program for residential resilience retrofits through 2030.

Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

SponsorJohn Cornyn (R-TX)

Introduced2/4/2025

StatusRead twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

ChamberSenate

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Vote Prediction

Promoting Resilient Buildings Act

This bill modifies FEMA predisaster mitigation programs related to building codes, specifying that the two most recent code editions qualify for assistance. It removes building code activities from STRLF loans and creates a pilot program for residential resili

Community Breakdown

Pass

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Fail

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This bill modifies FEMA predisaster mitigation programs related to building codes, specifying that the two most recent code editions qualify for assistance. It removes building code activities from STRLF loans and creates a pilot program for residential resilience retrofits through 2030.

Bill Number: 388
Sponsor: John Cornyn (R-TX)
Introduced: 2/4/2025
Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Policy Area: Emergency Management

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: Promoting Resilient Buildings Act
Bill Number: 388
Sponsor: John Cornyn (R-TX)
Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Introduced: 2/4/2025
Summary: This bill modifies FEMA predisaster mitigation programs related to building codes, specifying that the two most recent code editions qualify for assistance. It removes building code activities from STRLF loans and creates a pilot program for residential resilience retrofits through 2030.

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill modifies FEMA predisaster mitigation programs related to building codes, specifying that the two most recent code editions qualify for assistance. It removes building code activities from STRLF loans and creates a pilot program for residential resilience retrofits through 2030.

Last updated: 1/5/2026

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

Promoting Resilient Buildings ActThis bill increases flexibility for predisaster mitigation assistance for building code activities, prohibits using certain loan funds for building code activities, and establishes a pilot program to fund residential resilience retrofits.Under current law, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may provide predisaster hazard mitigation assistance to government entities for implementing the latest published editions of relevant building codes and standards. Also, FEMA must consider a government entity’s adoption of such building codes when determining whether to award it predisaster hazard mitigation assistance. The bill specifies that the building codes applicable in such instances are the two most recently published editions (i.e., either the current edition or the previous one).Also, currently, under FEMA's Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund (STRLF) program, states and Indian tribal governments may provide loans to local governments for establishing and carrying out building codes and standards. The bill removes this authority, so STRLF loans may not be used for such building code-related activities.Additionally, the bill establishes a pilot program for FEMA to provide grants to government entities that then provide the funding to individuals for residential resilience retrofits. The retrofit projects must reduce risk to homes from local natural hazards and individuals must demonstrate financial need. To implement the pilot program, FEMA may use up to 10% of the funds FEMA provides annually for predisaster hazard mitigation assistance. The pilot program terminates at the end of FY2030.

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Allows either of two most recent building code editions for FEMA assistance
Creates pilot program for residential resilience retrofits
Provides grants to individuals for home hazard reduction
Removes building code activities from STRLF loans
Pilot program runs through FY2030

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

Homeowners could receive grants to make their homes more resistant to local natural hazards. Communities would have more flexibility in which building code edition they adopt to qualify for FEMA predisaster mitigation assistance.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Emergency Management

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

388, 119th Congress (2025). "Promoting Resilient Buildings Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-s-388

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