Bills · HR 2836
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 2836Emergency Management
FEMA Loan Interest Payment Relief Act
INTRO APR 10· LAST ACTION APR 10
READING
4MIN
COSPONSORS
18
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill matters because it directly addresses a significant financial challenge faced by communities after disasters: the cost of borrowing money for recovery. Local governments and electric cooperatives often need to take out loans to quickly start rebuilding damaged infrastructure, power grids, and public services before federal aid fully arrives. The interest on these loans can add millions of dollars to their recovery expenses, placing a substantial strain on local budgets.
If this bill becomes law, it would lighten that financial load, potentially allowing communities to recover faster and allocate more resources directly to rebuilding efforts rather than debt service. It could also reduce the pressure on local taxes or utility rates that might otherwise increase to cover these interest costs. If it doesn't pass, local entities will continue to bear the full cost of interest on their disaster recovery loans, potentially slowing down recovery or increasing financial burdens on residents.
KEY PROVISIONS
4AI-extractedPROVISION 01
FEMA will reimburse local governments and electric cooperatives for qualifying interest paid on loans used for disaster recovery activities.
This reduces the financial burden on communities and utilities rebuilding after disasters by covering a portion of their borrowing costs.
PROVISION 02
The reimbursement for interest can apply to costs incurred up to nine years before the bill is enacted.
This provides retroactive financial relief to communities that have already struggled with interest payments from past disasters.
PROVISION 03
FEMA must establish special, faster procedures for states to get reimbursement for interest on ongoing disaster projects that are awaiting federal funding.
This aims to streamline the process for current projects and ensure quicker access to relief for states.
PROVISION 04
The amount of reimbursed interest is limited to the lesser of the actual interest paid or the interest calculated using the prime rate.
This sets a cap on federal liability, ensuring that the government only covers a reasonable portion of the interest costs.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 18
R· Florida
YRS IN OFFICE
9
BILLS LED
27
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 44%
DEM 4 REP 14 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
3 EVENTSAPR 10
Introduced in House
APR 10
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
APR 10
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 2836
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedApr 10, 2025
Last actionApr 10, 2025
READER REACTIONS
OVERALL SENTIMENT
No reactions yet. Be the first to weigh in.
Discussion
Loading comments...
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED APR 10, 2025
House BillHR 2836Emergency Management
FEMA Loan Interest Payment Relief Act
INTRODUCED APR 10, 2025· LAST ACTION APR 10, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
4 min
COSPONSORS
18
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
