This bill reauthorizes and strengthens the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program by expanding its focus to include recovery, improving early warning system coordination with the FCC, and authorizing specific funding through fiscal year 2030.
David Valadao
Representative
CA-22
The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025 strengthens the national earthquake preparedness strategy by expanding its focus to include recovery standards, tsunami coordination, and improved communication protocols. This legislation specifically enhances the U.S. Geological Survey's role in improving the early warning system, ensuring faster and more accessible alerts. Furthermore, the bill authorizes specific funding levels for earthquake hazard reduction efforts through fiscal year 2030.
Earthquake Safety Bill Mandates 'Functional Recovery' Goals, Boosts Early Warning Funding to $30 Million Annually
The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025 is essentially a five-year renewal and major upgrade to how the federal government prepares for and responds to major earthquakes. It authorizes over $83 million annually from Fiscal Year 2026 through 2030, with a critical $30 million minimum earmarked specifically to finish building the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS). This bill isn't just about shaking—it’s about making sure that when the ground stops moving, our essential services get back online fast.
Your Power and Water: Back Online Sooner
The biggest change here is the introduction of “functional recovery” goals. Previously, building codes focused on making sure structures didn't collapse and kill people. That’s good, but it means a building could be structurally safe but completely unusable for months. This bill (SEC. 2) mandates that when developing standards for buildings and infrastructure, the program must now include specific targets for how quickly community-priority buildings and essential services—think power grids, water lines, and hospitals—can be used again after a quake. For anyone who remembers the frustration of power outages or water boil advisories after a major storm or quake, this is huge. It means future infrastructure design must prioritize getting you back to normal life, not just keeping the lights from falling down.
Faster Alerts, More Languages
The bill significantly expands the duties of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and demands better coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on emergency alerts (SEC. 2). The goal is simple: maximize warning time. The USGS must now work with the FCC to ensure that earthquake alerts and early warnings are broadcast as fast and reliably as possible. Critically, these alerts must now be provided in the “predominant languages spoken in the affected area.” If you live in a high-risk zone, this means the precious seconds of warning you get before the shaking starts should be delivered more quickly and in a language you actually understand, which is a massive step forward for public safety and accessibility.
Funding the Future of Forecasts
Money talks, and this bill lays out exactly how much the government is authorized to spend on earthquake safety for the next half-decade (SEC. 3). For five years, the total authorized budget is $83,403,000 annually. Out of that pot, a guaranteed $30 million must go toward completing the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS). The ANSS is the backbone of the entire early warning system. Dedicating this minimum funding ensures that the infrastructure needed to detect quakes and issue those life-saving alerts gets finished. The USGS also gets new duties, including coordinating with NOAA and FEMA on tsunami data sharing and, “when appropriate,” issuing forecasts for aftershocks following major U.S. earthquakes. This means better data sharing and more proactive communication for communities already reeling from a disaster.