PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
Congressional Research Service
No official summary is available in the imported record yet.
People & committees
Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6] · D–GA
Legislative record
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Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Sep 22, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2026-09-03 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
This bill would require the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to develop rules and guidance to prevent gender-based violence, human trafficking, and sexual exploitation after disasters. It would address survivors’ access to safe temporary housing and support services, and require training for all FEMA employees on identifying and helping victims and survivors. Implementation would depend on available funding.
the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall issue such regulations and guidance as are necessary to prevent gender-based violence, human trafficking, and sexual exploitation after a disaster.
facilitating the individual's prompt relocation to safe alternative temporary housing, where appropriate
The President shall ensure that all employees of the Agency shall be trained on how to identify, care for, and refer victims and survivors of gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, or human trafficking to related services.
This Act shall be carried out subject to the availability of appropriations.
The bill defines gender-based violence to cover gender-motivated violent crime and gender-based exploitation or abuse motivated at least partly by hostility toward the victim’s gender. Its definition includes domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking, with references to existing statutory definitions.
The term gender-based violence means a crime of violence motivated by gender, as defined in section 40302(d)(1) of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (34 U.S.C. 12361(d)(1)), or exploitation or abuse committed on the basis of gender and due, at least in part, to an animus based on the victim’s gender, and includes domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking (as such terms are defined in section 40002(a) of such Act (34 U.S.C. 12291(a))), and trafficking in persons (as defined in section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102)).
The bill defines “trauma-informed” services or training as patient-centered, supportive of patients’ dignity and empowerment, and based on evidence about how trauma affects their lives.
The term trauma-informed means, with respect to services or training, services or training that— (A) use a patient-centered approach to providing services or care; (B) promote the dignity, strength, and empowerment of patients who have experienced trauma; and (C) incorporate evidence-based practices based on knowledge about the impact of trauma on patients’ lives.
Within one year after enactment, FEMA’s Administrator would have to issue prevention rules and guidance after consulting emergency management stakeholders, sexual assault centers, domestic violence shelters, and anti-trafficking organizations. Section 3 activities would be limited to disaster response, temporary sheltering, emergency protective measures, and short-term recovery under the Stafford disaster relief law.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall issue such regulations and guidance as are necessary to prevent gender-based violence, human trafficking, and sexual exploitation after a disaster.
the Administrator shall consult with emergency management stakeholders, sexual assault centers, domestic violence shelters, and anti-trafficking organizations.
Activities carried out pursuant to this section shall be limited to activities directly related to disaster response, temporary sheltering, emergency protective measures, and short-term disaster recovery operations under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).
FEMA’s rules and guidance would have to provide for a joint federal and local violence-prevention headquarters immediately after a natural disaster. They would also have to include plans for more stable staffing and longer assignments after disasters; improved care and trust are stated aims, not demonstrated results.
provide for the establishment of a joint Federal and local violence-fighting headquarters immediately after a natural disaster to ensure coordination between the Agency, Red Cross, State, city, and county entities, and local anti-violence specialists, including the area’s service providers and trusted community leaders
provide for plans to provide a more stable staff with longer-term assignments (to improve care, build trust, and reduce stress and traumatization) after a disaster
FEMA would have to revise check-in practices to reach all adult household members, with the stated aim of giving men and women equal opportunities to disclose violence and seek help. It would also have to provide strategies to reduce repeated moves for survivors staying in hotels.
revise check-in practices of the Administration to include check-ins with all adult household members (to ensure men and women have equal opportunities to disclose violence and seek help, not just male heads of households)
provide for strategies to reduce frequent relocations of hotel-dwelling survivors
FEMA would have to establish a reporting process for alleged crimes, abuse, or exploitation by landlords or temporary housing providers. The process would receive reports without deciding legal responsibility. It would prioritize prompt moves to safe temporary housing where appropriate, and prompt referrals to specified law enforcement agencies or specialized victim services with the individual’s informed consent.
establish protocols for non-adjudicatory reporting mechanism through which an individual may report allegations of criminal conduct, abuse, or exploitation by a landlord or temporary housing provider, which shall prioritize— (A) facilitating the individual's prompt relocation to safe alternative temporary housing, where appropriate; and (B) the prompt referral of such allegations to appropriate State, local, Tribal, or territorial law enforcement agencies, or specialized victim service providers, with the informed consent of the individual
FEMA would have to develop guidance on making trained victim service personnel available at disaster shelters where practical and within available resources. It would also have to develop model shelter and resource-site information about victim assistance, including hotlines and contacts, in all appropriate languages.
develop guidance and best practices regarding the availability of trained victim service personnel, equipped to work with victims of gender-based violence, at disaster shelters, where practicable and consistent with available resources
develop model information materials and signage for disaster shelters and resource sites regarding available victim assistance resources for individuals experiencing gender-based violence, including relevant hotlines and contact information, to be made available in all appropriate languages
FEMA would have to evaluate post-disaster processes for survivors’ emotional well-being, particularly for people with known mental health issues or vulnerability to further harm. The evaluation would also have to consider different language, religious, and cultural backgrounds.
evaluate post-disaster processes to ensure such processes take into account the emotional well-being of recent disaster survivors, particularly such survivors with known mental health issues or who are vulnerable to additional harm, such as gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, or human trafficking, and consider the needs of survivors from different linguistic, religious, or cultural backgrounds
FEMA would have to guide state, local, Tribal, and territorial emergency managers in planning for people at high risk of gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, or trafficking during and after disasters. The guidance would include planning to provide feminine hygiene products, baby formula, and nonprescription medicines and supplies.
establish guidance for State, local, Tribal, and territorial emergency managers on how to plan for the specialized contextual needs of individuals at high risk of experiencing gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, or human trafficking during and after a disaster, including for providing feminine hygiene products, baby formula, and over-the-counter medicine and supplies
FEMA would have to identify which expenses involving people experiencing gender-based violence already qualify for reimbursement under its Public Assistance and Individual Assistance programs, then provide guidance and training to field staff. This provision calls for clarifying existing eligibility.
determine which expenses related to individuals experiencing gender-based violence are currently eligible for reimbursement under the Public Assistance and Individual Assistance programs of the Agency and develop specific guidance and training for Agency field staff on which costs are eligible
Section 4 would insert language about addressing gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking into the Stafford Act’s crisis counseling provision. The surrounding existing provision is not reproduced, so the full effect of that insertion cannot be determined from this bundle.
4. Crisis counseling assistance and training Section 416 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5183) is amended— (1) by inserting and to address gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking after backgrounds
The President would have to ensure that every FEMA employee receives training on identifying, caring for, and referring victims and survivors of gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, or trafficking to related services.
The President shall ensure that all employees of the Agency shall be trained on how to identify, care for, and refer victims and survivors of gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, or human trafficking to related services.
Section 5 would add assistance addressing gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, or trafficking after the words “financial assistance” in the Stafford Act’s case management provision. The existing subsection is not reproduced, leaving its full eligibility rules and operating conditions outside the supplied evidence.
5. Case management services Section 426(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5189d(a)) is amended by inserting and assistance to address gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, or human trafficking after financial assistance.
The bill would not require additional permanent full-time FEMA employees or new agency offices. Implementation would be subject to available appropriations, meaning funding made available through spending legislation.
Nothing in this Act, or the regulations and guidance issued pursuant to this Act, shall be construed to— (1) require the hiring of additional permanent full-time employees or the establishment of new offices within the Agency
This Act shall be carried out subject to the availability of appropriations.
The bill would preserve state, local, Tribal, and territorial authority over their own emergency systems, operations, training, and resource allocation. It would also preserve their authority to provide stronger protections, assistance, or resources for victims of gender-based violence during disaster or emergency responses.
Nothing in this Act, or the regulations and guidance issued pursuant to this Act, shall be construed to—
(2) preempt or supersede the authority of any State, local, Tribal, or territorial government to conduct its own emergency management systems, response operations, trainings, or resource allocation; or (3) limit or restrict the authority of a State, local, Tribal, or territorial government to establish or enforce standards, regulations, or laws that provide greater protection, assistance, or resources for victims of gender-based violence during a disaster or emergency response than those provided under this Act.
The supplied actions snapshot, updated September 22, 2026, records House introduction on September 3, 2026, and referral that day to the Transportation and Infrastructure and Judiciary committees for provisions within their respective jurisdictions.
Source snapshot updated 2026-09-22T18:49:38Z.
2026-09-03: Introduced in House
2026-09-03: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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 closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2026-09-03. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy rider was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish the absence of riders in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This text-only conclusion does not establish formal earmark status or the absence of earmarks in other versions or accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow carve-out, special exemption, or preferential treatment was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. Coverage of intended beneficiaries and equal access to assistance were not treated as special preferences. This conclusion is limited to the supplied version and does not extend to other versions or accompanying materials.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Sep 22, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI