April 10, 2025
Mr. Lankford (for himself, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Kim, and Mr. Mullin) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize Federal agencies to provide certain essential assistance for hazard mitigation for electric utilities, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Promoting Opportunities to Widen Electrical Resilience Act of 2025
or the POWER Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Essential assistance
(a) In general
Section 403 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(e) Electric utilities
(1) Hazard mitigation activities
An electric utility may carry out cost-effective hazard mitigation activities jointly or otherwise in combination with activities for the restoration of power carried out with assistance provided under this section.
(2) Eligibility for additional assistance
In any case in which an electric utility facility receives assistance under this section for the emergency restoration of power, the receipt of such assistance shall not render such facility ineligible for any hazard mitigation assistance under section 406 for which such facility is otherwise eligible.
(b) Applicability
The amendment made by subsection (a) shall only apply to amounts appropriated on or after the date of enactment of this Act.