The Save BRIC Act mandates investment in pre-disaster mitigation by requiring the government to provide financial assistance for mitigation activities, rather than having the option to do so.
Greg Stanton
Representative
AZ-4
The Save BRIC Act aims to re-establish mandatory funding for pre-disaster mitigation efforts, based on findings that proactive measures significantly reduce disaster-related losses and save billions in recovery costs. This bill amends the Stafford Act to ensure consistent investment in community resilience against natural disasters.
Save BRIC Act Mandates Pre-Disaster Funding, Aims to Restore Billions to Cancelled Resilience Program
This bill, the 'Save BRIC Act,' fundamentally changes how the federal government approaches preparing for disasters before they strike. It amends existing law—specifically Section 203 of the Stafford Act—to make providing federal financial and technical help for predisaster mitigation projects mandatory, shifting it from a 'maybe' to a 'must'. The bill's findings state the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, designed for this purpose, was cancelled in 2025, pulling back over $4 billion in potential grants.
The Big Switch: From 'Maybe' to 'Must Fund'
The core change here is simple but significant. By changing the word "may" to "shall" in the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5133), the bill directs the federal government, likely through FEMA, to obligate funds for projects that reduce disaster risk ahead of time. Think things like strengthening buildings against earthquakes, improving drainage to prevent flooding, or creating cooling centers for extreme heat waves. Previously, providing this type of assistance was discretionary. The bill leans on research suggesting these upfront investments pay off, citing findings that every $1 spent on mitigation can save up to $13 in recovery costs later – a potentially big deal given the rise in billion-dollar weather events noted in the bill.
What Mandatory Mitigation Could Mean on the Ground
By making predisaster funding a requirement, communities might see a more reliable pipeline for projects aimed at long-term safety. If your town is in a flood zone and needs funds to elevate homes or build better barriers, this change could make securing federal help more predictable than under the previous discretionary system. The bill explicitly references the 2019 creation and 2025 cancellation of the BRIC program, suggesting this mandatory funding aims to effectively reinstate and secure that type of proactive investment. This could impact everything from local planning initiatives to large-scale infrastructure upgrades designed to withstand hurricanes, wildfires, or other regional threats mentioned in the bill's findings.
Investing Now vs. Paying Later
Ultimately, the Save BRIC Act frames disaster preparedness not just as a good idea, but as a necessary, mandated investment. It points to the increasing frequency of costly disasters (citing 27 billion-dollar events in 2024) as justification for requiring proactive spending. The shift ensures that funds must be allocated under Section 203 for eligible mitigation efforts, aiming to reduce future damage, save lives, and lessen the massive taxpayer expense that follows major disasters. While the exact funding levels aren't specified in this short bill, the change from 'may' to 'shall' signals a significant policy shift towards embedding resilience funding into the federal disaster response framework.