[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 94 (Wednesday, June 3, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S2537]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 5524. Mr. BENNET submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 2, to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title 
II of S. Con. Res. 33; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. __. PROCESS FOR CONGRESSIONAL REVERSAL OF REFUSAL TO 
                   DECLARE MAJOR DISASTER.

       Section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
     Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(d) Notification to Congress.--
       ``(1) Covered refusal.--In this subsection, the term 
     `covered refusal' means an instance in which--
       ``(A) the Governor of a State requests a declaration by the 
     President of a major disaster under subsection (a); and
       ``(B) the President declines to declare such a major 
     disaster--
       ``(i) contrary to a recommendation provided by the 
     Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency; or
       ``(ii) based on a recommendation by the Administrator of 
     the Federal Emergency Management Agency not to approve the 
     declaration that is contrary to established precedent.
       ``(2) Notification requirement.--Not later than 24 hours 
     after issuing a covered refusal, the President shall submit 
     to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 
     President of the Senate a written explanation of the covered 
     refusal.
       ``(e) Declaration by Joint Resolution.--
       ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
       ``(A) Covered joint resolution.--The term `covered joint 
     resolution' means only a joint resolution of either House of 
     Congress--
       ``(i) introduced not later than 14 calendar days after the 
     date on which Congress receives a notification under 
     subsection (d)(2) relating to a covered refusal; and
       ``(ii) the sole matter after the resolving clause of which 
     is as follows: `That the President shall declare a major 
     disaster under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
     Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) relating 
     to _______