119-hr2428

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2428 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

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119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2428

 To require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a 
 study regarding a Federal buyout program available to homeowners with 
 properties in high-risk catastrophic wildfire disaster areas, and for 
 other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 March 27, 2025

Ms. Friedman (for herself, Ms. Brownley, Mr. Lieu, Mr. Mullin, and Mr. 
 Sherman) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the 
 Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently 
 determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a 
 study regarding a Federal buyout program available to homeowners with 
 properties in high-risk catastrophic wildfire disaster areas, and for 
 other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Wildfire Homeowner Relief Act''.

SEC. 2. GAO STUDY ON A FEDERAL BUYOUT PROGRAM FOR HIGH-RISK WILDFIRE 
 AREAS.

    (a) In General.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall 
conduct a study to analyze the feasibility of using Federal grant 
programs to purchase property from homeowners, voluntarily selling such 
properties, before and after a catastrophic wildfire disaster.

    (b) Existing Covered Buyouts.--In conducting the study under 
subsection

    (a) , the Comptroller General shall compile recommendations 
on--

    (1) how to develop a national database on covered buyouts, 
 existing on the date of enactment of this Act, with information 
 on what grant program was used to purchase each respective 
 property under such buyouts, what entity is responsible for 
 maintaining such property, and any development on such property 
 following the covered buyout; and

    (2) how the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the 
 Department of Housing and Urban Development can exchange 
 information about any covered buyout in process as of the date 
 of enactment of this Act.
            (c) New Wildfire Buyout Program.--In conducting the study under 
subsection

    (a) of this Act, the Comptroller General shall--

    (1) analyze how a program for the buyout of properties 
 endangered or impacted by catastrophic wildfire disasters would 
 compare to covered buyout programs existing on the date of 
 enactment of this Act, including any floodplain disaster buyout 
 programs;

    (2) provide recommendations on which department, agency, or 
 program should house a program for the buyout of properties 
 endangered or impacted by catastrophic wildfire disasters; and

    (3) provide land use recommendations for properties after a 
 covered buyout, including--
        (A) how to ensure specific purchases and future 
 land uses will reduce catastrophic wildfire risk, loss 
 of life, and loss of property during catastrophic 
 wildfires;
        (B) how land use may be different for rural 
 compared to urban communities and for disadvantaged 
 compared to high-income communities;
            (C) how to allow flexibility for communities to 
 decide how to use the land following a covered buyout; 
 and
            (D) with respect to properties in high-risk areas 
 prior to catastrophic wildfire disaster and for 
 properties impacted after a catastrophic wildfire 
 disaster, eligibility requirements, including--
            (i) recommendations for mapping which areas 
 are at the highest risk for catastrophic 
 wildfire; and
            (ii) methodology for determining which 
 areas would be most effective for implementing 
 a Federal buyout program, including 
 consideration for where the greatest benefit 
 would be derived as a result of evacuating 
 individuals in efforts to avoid loss of life.
            (d) Authority To Define Terms.--In conducting the study under 
subsection

    (a) , the Comptroller General shall develop definitions for 
the terms ``development'', ``disadvantaged community'', ``high-income 
community'', and ``catastrophic wildfire''.

    (e) Report.--Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report 
identifying findings and conclusions, including--

    (1) the results of the study conducted pursuant to 
 subsection

    (a) ;

    (2) any recommendations made under subsection

    (b) ;

    (3) recommendations on ways to incentivize participation in 
 the program described in subsection
            (c) ;

    (4) analysis of the economic impacts of the program 
 described in subsection
            (c) and the cost of the program to the 
 Federal Government; and

    (5) the definitions developed under subsection
            (d) .

    (f) Covered Buyout Defined.--In this Act, a ``covered buyout'' 
means a purchase of property by the Federal Government from a homeowner 
who voluntarily sold such property because such property was recognized 
by the Federal Government to be in an area endangered or impacted by a 
catastrophic natural disaster.
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