{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://figures.house.gov/media/press-releases/figures-bipartisan-effort-improve-access-disaster-relief-funding-moves-forward", "Figures\u2019 Bipartisan Effort to Improve Access to  Disaster Relief Funding Moves Forward", "2025-09-03", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "House", "AL", "Shomari Figures", "F000481", "figures.house.gov", "figures", "https://figures.house.gov/media", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure passed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Reform Act, which includes the bipartisan Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Act introduced in July by Reps. Shomari C. Figures (AL-02) and Chuck Edwards (NC-11).\n\nThe BRIC Act would reform and improve the 2018 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program to ensure rural communities, such as those in Alabama\u2019s 2nd Congressional District, have more equitable access to disaster relief funding. Specifically, BRIC funds would be distributed 40% equally among all states; 20% to states with a higher population and a lower median income; 20% to states most vulnerable to natural disasters that threaten critical infrastructure; and 20% to eligible states with approved projects in economically distressed or rural communities.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to have led this bipartisan effort to reform how FEMA funds are distributed,\u201d said Rep. Figures. \u201cThe inclusion of the BRIC Act in the FEMA Reform Act is a major step toward smarter, more equitable disaster preparedness. It is a real win for Alabama communities and others across the country that need these resources the most.\u201d\n\nThe FEMA Reform Act must pass Congress and be signed into law by the president before it can take effect.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T15:07:37Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://figures.house.gov/media/press-releases/figures-bipartisan-effort-improve-access-disaster-relief-funding-moves-forward"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 3.3764876425266266, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}