Legis Daily

UNITY Act

USA119th CongressHR-4408| House 
| Updated: 7/16/2025
Kimberlyn King-Hinds

Kimberlyn King-Hinds

Republican Representative

Northern Mariana Islands

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
This legislation, known as the UNITY Act, aims to improve disaster response and recovery efforts specifically within noncontiguous communities . It mandates two key studies: one by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on workforce practices and another by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on overall disaster response effectiveness. Both agencies are required to report their findings and recommendations to Congress, with FEMA also tasked with revising its policies based on its study. FEMA's study will focus on hiring, recruitment, and retention challenges for staff in noncontiguous communities, evaluating current strategies and identifying steps to improve local opportunities and address staffing shortages. The GAO's comprehensive review will analyze ongoing recovery efforts, inter-agency coordination, and the effectiveness of federal agencies, including lessons from Super Typhoon Yutu, to provide recommendations for enhanced disaster outcomes. Additionally, the bill establishes a Preliminary Damage Assessment Pilot Program within FEMA to implement new technology for damage assessments in noncontiguous communities, prioritizing the most geographically remote areas, and is scheduled to terminate in 2030.
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Timeline
Jul 15, 2025
Introduced in House
Jul 15, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Jul 16, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
  • July 15, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • July 15, 2025
    Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.


  • July 16, 2025
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

Emergency Management

UNITY Act

USA119th CongressHR-4408| House 
| Updated: 7/16/2025
This legislation, known as the UNITY Act, aims to improve disaster response and recovery efforts specifically within noncontiguous communities . It mandates two key studies: one by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on workforce practices and another by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on overall disaster response effectiveness. Both agencies are required to report their findings and recommendations to Congress, with FEMA also tasked with revising its policies based on its study. FEMA's study will focus on hiring, recruitment, and retention challenges for staff in noncontiguous communities, evaluating current strategies and identifying steps to improve local opportunities and address staffing shortages. The GAO's comprehensive review will analyze ongoing recovery efforts, inter-agency coordination, and the effectiveness of federal agencies, including lessons from Super Typhoon Yutu, to provide recommendations for enhanced disaster outcomes. Additionally, the bill establishes a Preliminary Damage Assessment Pilot Program within FEMA to implement new technology for damage assessments in noncontiguous communities, prioritizing the most geographically remote areas, and is scheduled to terminate in 2030.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Jul 15, 2025
Introduced in House
Jul 15, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Jul 16, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
  • July 15, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • July 15, 2025
    Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.


  • July 16, 2025
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Kimberlyn King-Hinds

Kimberlyn King-Hinds

Republican Representative

Northern Mariana Islands

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee

Emergency Management

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted