H.R. 7461House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

FEMA Accountability Act

To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to submit a monthly report on the status of all projects and activities funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, and for other purposes.

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 18, 2026 at 9:51 AM UTC

The FEMA Accountability Act requires the FEMA Administrator to provide Congress with a monthly report on every project and activity funded through the Disaster Relief Fund. The reports must detail how much money is left unspent, how much has been obligated and disbursed, and give a breakdown by each disaster declaration. The information will also be posted publicly on FEMA’s website, increasing transparency for states, territories, tribal areas, and the general public.

Key Provisions

Within 60 days of the law’s enactment and each month thereafter, FEMA must send a report to the House Appropriations and Transportation and Infrastructure committees and the Senate Appropriations and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committees.
Each report must include the fund’s unobligated balance, total obligations, total disbursements, and a detailed breakdown for each disaster (name, date, affected areas, funds obligated and disbursed, and the percentage of obligated funds that have been paid).
The report must list all public‑assistance projects submitted, approved, funded, and any projects with pending obligation decisions over 180 days, as well as any funds that are withheld, deferred, or reprogrammed with explanations.
FEMA must publish each monthly report on its website within 10 days of submission.
Within 90 days of enactment, FEMA must create a uniform reporting template that follows federal open‑data standards and keep the data updated on a rolling monthly basis.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee

February 11, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

February 10, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

February 10, 2026

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee

February 11, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued February 10, 2026

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 7461

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 10, 2026

Mr. Bell (for himself and Mr. Moskowitz) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

A BILL

Short title

This Act may be cited as the FEMA Accountability Act.

Reporting on Disaster Relief Fund obligations and disbursements

(a)

Reporting

Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and monthly thereafter, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the status of all projects and activities funded through the Disaster Relief Fund.

(b)

Contents of report

Each monthly report under subsection (a) shall include, with respect to the preceding month—

(1)

the total unobligated balance of the Disaster Relief Fund;

(2)

the total amount of Disaster Relief Fund funds obligated;

(3)

the total amount of Disaster Relief Fund funds disbursed;

(4)

a breakdown by disaster declaration (major disaster or emergency), including—

(A)

the name and date of each declaration;

(B)

the States, territories, or tribal areas affected;

(C)

the total funds obligated to date;

(D)

the total funds disbursed to date; and

(E)

the percentage of obligated funds that have been disbursed;

(5)

a list of all public assistance projects submitted for approval and obligation;

(6)

a list of all projects that have been approved for obligation;

(7)

a list of all funds for projects that have been disbursed;

(8)

a list of all projects for which obligation decisions remain pending for more than 180 days; and

(9)

any funds withheld, deferred, or reprogrammed for future use, with an explanation of the reason and estimated disbursement timeline.

(c)

Public availability

The Administrator shall make each report required under this section publicly available on the website of the Federal Emergency Management Agency not later than 10 days after the submission of each report.

(d)

Standardization of reporting

Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall establish a uniform reporting template for Disaster Relief Fund obligation and disbursement data, consistent with Federal open data standards, and update such data on a rolling monthly basis.

(e)

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Disaster Relief Fund

The term Disaster Relief Fund means the fund established under section 102(4) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122(4)).

(2)

Obligation

The term obligation means a legally binding commitment by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to make payments under specific disaster recovery programs or projects.

(3)

Appropriate committees of Congress

The term appropriate committees of Congress means the Committees on Appropriations and Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committees on Appropriations and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.