{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3502", "Congresswoman Fletcher and Congressman Rice Introduce the Bipartisan FEMA Relief Extension Act", "2021-10-21", "2021", "2021-10", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Lizzie Fletcher", "F000468", "fletcher.house.gov", "fletcher", "https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX) and Congressman Tom Rice (R-SC) introduced the bipartisan FEMA Relief Extension Act to extend the period of time for individuals and households to receive Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) temporary housing assistance from 18 months to 24 months following a presidentially declared emergency or disaster.\n\n\u201cWhen disasters happen, it takes time for people to gain a full understanding of the scope of the damage and the assistance available to them,\u201d said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. \u201cI am glad to work with Congressman Rice to introduce legislation that gives victims of natural disasters flexibility when applying for assistance. From our experience in Houston, we know that extending temporary housing assistance to give people recovering from disaster more time to secure the assistance they need to rebuild and to prepare for the next storm is one of the most helpful things we can do.\u201d\n\n\u201cI hear frequently from South Carolinians about their frustrations with FEMA and the disaster relief process. This legislation will give folks who utilize FEMA assistance more flexibility after disasters and emergencies,\u201d said Congressman Tom Rice. \u201cOftentimes, it can take months to receive estimates, make repairs, and restore a home to a livable condition. This legislation adjusts a pressing deadline to give folks some peace of mind and extra time while recovering.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs communities from South Carolina to the Texas Gulf Coast face unprecedented damage from rising seas and stronger, more frequent storms, it is vital that our disaster relief programs quickly and efficiently provide resources to those who need help most. I thank Congressman Rice and Congresswoman Fletcher for their bipartisan leadership to ensure that disaster victims can access relief through FEMA\u2019s Individual Assistance program for longer time frames. We know the road to recovery can be long and difficult, and this bill is an important first step in delivering more comprehensive and effective support in the wake of catastrophic floods,\u201d saidMelissa Roberts, Executive Director, American Flood Coalition.\n\nFEMA\u2019s Individual Assistance (IA) program includes financial and direct assistance, including housing assistance, for eligible individuals and households with uninsured or underinsured expenses resulting from a presidentially declared emergency or disaster. This legislation amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to extend federal housing assistance to individuals and households from an 18-month period to a 24-month period.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:24:51Z"]], "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://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3502"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8596191182732582, "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"}