FEMA must prove disaster mitigation works—and show the public the data.
H.R. 4426 — SMART Act · Filed by Robert Bresnahan (R-PA) · 4 cosponsors · Introduced Jul 16, 2025 · Referred to committee
Your members of Congress
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What it does
This bill directs FEMA to study whether its hazard mitigation programs (funding projects to reduce disaster risk) actually save money and protect communities. FEMA must report findings to Congress within 18 months and annually thereafter, and publish results publicly online so citizens and policymakers can see whether mitigation spending delivers value. The bill creates no new programs or funding—it is purely a transparency and accountability measure.
Why we flagged it
The bill's sole operative mechanism is to require FEMA to study and publicly report on the effectiveness and cost-benefit of existing hazard mitigation programs. It creates no new authority, funding, or restrictions—only a duty to measure and disclose.
What the text implies
- Public disclosure of mitigation effectiveness data may reveal geographic disparities in program reach or outcomes, potentially triggering political pressure for reallocation of mitigation resources.
- Annual reporting requirement creates ongoing administrative burden on FEMA; if not resourced separately, may divert staff from program delivery.
- Searchable public database of mitigation outcomes could enable private insurers to refine risk models and adjust premiums based on community-level mitigation data, potentially raising costs for under-mitigated areas.
Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.
Who it affects
Citizens gain transparency into whether federal disaster-mitigation spending actually works and saves money long-term. Public access to study results enables informed debate about disaster preparedness policy and holds FEMA accountable for program outcomes. No costs or restrictions on citizens are imposed.
Named in the bill
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House Committee on Appropriations, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Government Accountability Office (GAO), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Where it stands
4 cosponsors: 4 Democrats.
- Jul 16, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
- Jul 16, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the bill text published by Congress.gov (3,661 characters) on Sep 27, 2026. Section numbers in the findings refer to that text, linked below; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 15,316 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-09-27.
“FEMA must prove disaster mitigation works—and show the public the data.” QuorumCivic. https://share.quorumcivic.app/bill/119/hr4426 Report an error