S. 4888: KESSLER Act

117th Congress · introduced 2022-09-20 · Emergency Management · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2022-09-20 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: 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

KESSLER Act

Plain summary

Keeping Everyone Safe and Securing Lives by Emergency Readiness Act or the KESSLER Act This bill directs the President to supplement disaster response plans to account for catastrophic incidents. Specifically, the President must supplement each Federal Interagency Operational Plan to include an annex containing a strategy to ensure the health, safety, and general welfare of the civilian population affected by catastrophic incidents by providing for the basic needs of the civilian population that is impacted by catastrophic incidents in the United States; coordinating response efforts with state and local governments, the private sector, and nonprofit relief organizations; promoting personal and local readiness and non-reliance on government relief during periods of heightened tension or after catastrophic incidents; and developing international partnerships with allied nations for the provision of relief services and goods. The strategy must include specified elements, including a description of actions the President will take to ensure the basic needs of the U.S. civilian population in a catastrophic incident are met. The Department of Homeland Security shall lead an exercise, as part of a national exercise program, to test and enhance the operationalization of the strategy. The President must provide recommendations for (1) actions that should be taken to prepare the United States to implement the strategy, increase readiness, and address preparedness gaps; and (2) additional authorities that should be considered to more effectively implement the strategy.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

KESSLER Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Alex Padilla (D-CA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] reported raising $8.6 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

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).
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117s4888.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/s>

Record fed-us-cong117-s4888 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117