Senate Approves Sinema's Bipartisan Bill Improving America's Disaster Preparedness

Press Release

The U.S. Senate passed Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema's Technological Hazards Preparedness and Training Act -- bipartisan legislation strengthening America's preparedness and response against chemical, biological, and nuclear threats. Before heading to a vote by the full Senate, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved Sinema's bipartisan legislation in June.

"Senate-passage of our bipartisan legislation strengthening FEMA's capacity to help state and local governments address technological hazards will protect Arizonans from threats and enhance preparedness when dealing with future emergencies. I'm grateful for Senator Portman's partnership in keeping Arizonans and Americans safe and secure," said Sinema, Chair of the Senate Government Operations and Border Management Subcommittee.

"Since its inception in 1979, FEMA has been tasked to provide preparedness and training for the communities surrounding nuclear power plants using fees paid by the utilities. However, there are still hundreds of other communities that contain different radiological or chemical hazards but have had no access to this specialized FEMA support. I applaud the Senate for passing our bipartisan legislation to provide the authority and funding to ensure the most vulnerable communities in Ohio and across the country have access to the preparedness and training necessary to keep our families safe," said Portman, Ranking Republican of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

Sinema's legislation -- introduced with Republican Senator Rob Portman (Ohio) -- provides state and local governments with expanded Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance, training, and programing relating to resilience to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear hazards and related emerging threats. This legislation expands FEMA's existing assistance for communities near nuclear power plants and military chemical stockpiles to additional communities, such as those near chemical facilities across Arizona.

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