Extreme Heat and Drought Now Qualify for Federal Disaster Aid Under New Act

The Extreme Heat Emergency Act of 2025 is making a significant, if technical, change to how the federal government handles natural disasters. This bill updates the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act—that’s the main law that dictates when the President can declare a major disaster and unlock FEMA funding and federal resources.

The Fine Print That Matters: Expanding the Disaster Definition

What’s the big move here? The law explicitly adds “extreme heat” and “drought” to the list of events that qualify as a “major disaster” (SEC. 2). Before this change, if your city or state was hit by a severe heatwave or a years-long drought, it wasn't guaranteed to qualify for the same level of federal support as a hurricane or flood. While the federal government has sometimes provided aid for these events, this provision removes ambiguity and makes it clear that heat and drought are now on the official list of disasters eligible for the full range of federal relief.

What This Means for Your City and Your Wallet

This isn't just bureaucratic housekeeping; it has real-world implications for everyone from city planners to small business owners. When a major disaster is declared, federal funds can flow in for everything from temporary housing assistance to rebuilding public infrastructure. For example, if a prolonged drought wipes out a region’s agricultural output, or if a severe heatwave overwhelms local hospitals and destroys power grid components, this change ensures that local and state governments can apply for federal funding to help cover those catastrophic costs.

Consider the impact on a construction worker or a delivery driver who loses income because their job site or route becomes too dangerous during a sustained heat dome. If their region qualifies for federal aid, resources could potentially be directed toward cooling centers, utility assistance, or even helping small businesses adapt to climate-related disruptions. For a farmer struggling with crop loss due to drought, this new clarity in the law means a faster, more certain path to federal disaster assistance than existed before. This definitional update is a crucial step in recognizing that climate-related events like heat and drought are just as destructive—and costly—as traditional disasters.