Extreme Weather and Heat Response Modernization Act

The Extreme Weather and Heat Response Modernization Act would steer FEMA to modernize how incident periods are determined for emergencies and major disasters, and to bolster preparedness and mitigation specifically for extreme heat (and cold). The bill creates an advisory panel to review the current process for defining incident periods under the Stafford Act, requires interim and final reports with recommendations, and then triggers a rulemaking to implement those recommendations. In addition, the bill authorizes FEMA to consider innovative preparedness and mitigation projects targeted at extreme heat and extreme cold—such as stockpiling equipment and establishing community cooling centers and resilience centers—and to issue related guidance. It also requires FEMA to issue guidance on extreme temperatures in hazard mitigation planning and to conduct a comprehensive study on extreme heat and cold, including impacts on disadvantaged communities, infrastructure, and public health, with a final report to Congress. Overall, the bill aims to improve how disasters are declared and managed in the context of extreme weather, while expanding concrete tools and guidance to reduce heat- and cold-related harms and to build community resilience.