H.R. 654: Pacific Northwest Earthquake Preparedness Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-01-24 · Emergency Management · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

federal

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Where it came from: introduced 2017-01-24 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: 1 recorded vote in our records. Latest: House roll call 196 (2017): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, HR654 (2017-03-27), Passed. See all
Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Pacific Northwest Earthquake Preparedness Act of 2017

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on March 9, 2017. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Pacific Northwest Earthquake Preparedness Act of 2017 (Sec. 2) This bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to: (1) develop a plan for the purchase and installation of an earthquake early warning system for the Cascadia Subduction Zone, and (2) identify the funds necessary for its implementation. Such zone is the landward-dipping fault that is approximately 684 miles long, separates the Juan de Fuca and North America plates, and stretches along the western coast of the United States from Cape Mendocino, California, to Northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. (Sec. 3) The President shall establish an Earthquake and Tsunami Task Force for the purpose of developing a comprehensive strategy and recommendations on how the nation should prepare and plan for, mitigate against, respond to, recover from, and more successfully adapt to an earthquake, tsunami, or combined earthquake and tsunami event in such zone. Such recommendations shall include recommendations on: (1) administrative or legislative changes and funding required to implement the strategy, and (2) the order of priority for implementation of the strategy. The Task Force shall enter into an agreement with the National Academies for developing recommendations for a federal research strategy to advance scientific understanding of a zone earthquake and resulting tsunami preparedness. (Sec. 4) FEMA shall be responsible for the nation's efforts to reduce the loss of life and property, and to protect the nation, from an earthquake, tsunami, or combined earthquake and tsunami event by developing the ability to prepare and plan for, mitigate against, respond to, recover from, and more successfully adapt to such an event. (Sec. 5) The bill amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize recipients to use hazard mitigation assistance to conduct activities to help reduce the risk of future damage, hardship, loss, or suffering in any area affected by earthquake hazards, including making improvements to: regional seismic networks in support of building a capability for earthquake early warning; geodetic networks in support of building a capability for earthquake early warning; and seismometers, Global Positioning System receivers, and associated infrastructure in support of building a capability for earthquake early warning.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Pacific Northwest Earthquake Preparedness Act of 2017

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 654, Pacific Northwest Earthquake Preparedness Act of 2017 (2017-03-08)

Recorded votes

House roll call 196 (2017): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, HR654 (2017-03-27): Passed

Words on this page, explained (2)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115hr654.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/hr>

Record fed-us-cong115-hr654 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115