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Congress·Passed Senate·S. 320

Senate Passes Bill to Expand Earthquake Early Warning Systems and Protect 150 Million At-Risk Americans

National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025

2 months ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

✓ Senate
House
President
Law

Key Points

  • This bill continues a national program that helps the country prepare for earthquakes. It recognizes that nearly half of all Americans live in areas where a damaging earthquake could happen in the next 50 years. The plan provides money to agencies like FEMA and the U.S. Geological Survey to keep people safe and reduce property damage.
  • A major part of the plan is expanding the earthquake early warning system. This technology sends alerts to phones and computers seconds before the shaking starts, giving people time to drop, cover, and hold on. The bill also requires these alerts to be sent in the most common languages spoken in the affected areas to ensure everyone is reached.
  • The policy changes how we think about building safety. Instead of just making sure buildings don't collapse, the goal is now "functional recovery." This means designing buildings so they can be fixed and used again quickly after a quake, which helps communities get back to normal faster and prevents long-term economic loss.
  • It expands research into other dangers caused by earthquakes, such as tsunamis, landslides, and fires. It also provides technical help to state, local, and Tribal governments so they can identify high-risk buildings and create better evacuation plans for these related disasters.
  • The bill authorizes over $160 million in yearly funding through 2028. This includes about $92 million for the U.S. Geological Survey to monitor seismic activity and $54 million for the National Science Foundation to study how earthquakes affect the ground and structures.
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Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

State Impacts

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

6 milestones12 actions
Jan 7, 2026House

Held at the desk.

Jan 7, 2026House

Received in the House.

Jan 7, 2026Senate

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

Jan 5, 2026Senate

Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

Jan 5, 2026

Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

2027-2028

Expanded earthquake early warning alerts become available in more high-risk areas

More people in earthquake-prone regions could receive phone and device alerts seconds before shaking starts, giving them time to take cover — including alerts in languages other than English.

2026-2028

Updated building performance guidelines and retrofitting best practices are developed

State and local governments gain access to new federal guidance on identifying high-risk buildings and cost-effective ways to make them safer, shifting the focus from collapse prevention to getting buildings usable again quickly after a quake.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025

Bill NumberS 320
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionHeld at the desk.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)
R: 1

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.