On May 1, 2025, the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee unanimously advanced S.320, the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025, a bill co-sponsored by Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) that would reauthorize funding for the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) through Fiscal Year 2028. The Senate passed a version of this bill in 2024, but the House of Representatives did not take it up.
EERI supports the passage of S.320. This legislation would ensure that new tools, knowledge, resources, and support are developed to help our communities become more earthquake resilient. The bill includes several improvements to the existing NEHRP program. Of particular interest to EERI is the formal inclusion of the “functional recovery” definition and the mandates to increase focus on the translation of research and post-disaster reconnaissance findings into practice through seismic guidelines, codes, and standards, a practice critical to improving building and infrastructure performance during seismic events.
EERI President Ellen Rathje is quoted in a May 1st press release from Senator Padilla’s office, saying “The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute applauds the Senate Commerce Committee’s bipartisan advancement of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025. This is a critical step in strengthening our nation’s long-term resilience to earthquakes. With an estimated $15 billion in losses from earthquakes in the U.S. every year, sustained support for mitigation is not only cost-effective—it is essential. We are encouraged to see momentum behind this program and look forward to continuing the vital work of reducing seismic risk in communities across the country.”
