Rep. Bresnahan introduces Save the BRIC Act to protect program from elimination
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May 7—WILKES-BARRE — U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan Jr. said on Wednesday that he introduced the Save BRIC Act — legislation requiring the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to disburse funding through the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program to help states prepare against natural disasters.
Bresnahan, R-Dallas Township, said the bipartisan bill, which he introduced with U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Arizona, would protect the program from elimination.
"The BRIC program is a hand-up, not a hand-out, to at-risk communities who have suffered catastrophic weather events," said Bresnahan. "In cases where our communities cannot bear the full cost of keeping people safe, it is our responsibility to lend assistance. We must ensure this critical program continues to provide the infrastructure assistance and pre-disaster support to those who need it most."
Last month, acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton wrote in an agency memo that the Administration would not allocate the $750 million that was planned this year for BRIC grants.
Specifically, Bresnahan said the city of Scranton was awaiting funding for buyouts of flood-prone properties that were destroyed by flash floods on Sept. 9, 2023. Without the support from the BRIC program, Bresnahan said the city will be forced to come up with an additional $2.5 million in funding in order to create floodplain restoration and infrastructure, which is important to city public safety and future cost savings.
"Defunding this common-sense, bipartisan grant program puts lives, property, and public safety at unnecessary risk" said Stanton. "BRIC grants are a small up-front investment in resilience to save lives and taxpayer dollars long-term. Arizona communities are counting on these funds—dollars that Congress appropriated on a bipartisan basis. Now the Trump administration needs to fulfill that promise."
Specifically, Bresnahan said the BRIC program supports states, local and territorial governments and Tribal Nations as they work to reduce their hazard risk. The program aims to support communities as they build capability and capacity.
BRIC also encourages and aids innovation, Bresnahan said. It helps partnerships grow, supports infrastructure projects, and fosters flexibility and consistency. Rep. Bresnahan said research has proven that every $1 invested in pre-disaster mitigation saves up to $13 in disaster recovery costs.
The BRIC program was authorized and signed into law by President Donald Trump in 2018. Rep. Bresnahan said.
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