UNITY Act

The UNITY Act aims to improve how disaster response and recovery are conducted in noncontiguous U.S. communities (such as islands and remote territories). It directs FEMA to study and address disaster workforce challenges in these areas—focusing on hiring, recruitment, and retention—and to propose concrete steps to expand local candidate pools and fix staffing shortages. It also directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study disaster response and recovery in noncontiguous communities, with a particular look at recovery efforts related to Super Typhoon Yutu, and to compare practices with those in contiguous areas. In addition, the bill establishes a preliminary damage assessment pilot program using new technology in noncontiguous communities after major disasters, prioritizing the most geographically remote areas, with a briefing on progress within three years and a sunset date of September 30, 2030. The act is introduced as the UNITY Act and sets out deadlines for briefings and potential policy revisions, but does not itself create new funding authorization.