Utah Valley Times

U.S. Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Mike Braun (R-IN) have reintroduced the Budgeting for Disasters Act, a legislation aimed at ensuring that Congress is better prepared for natural emergencies by incorporating future disaster funding into statutory budget limits. This move comes as Congress has historically failed to account for natural disasters when crafting the budget, resulting in billions of dollars being borrowed and added to the national debt each year.

Senator Romney expressed the need for building disaster spending into the annual budget process, stating, "By incorporating disaster spending into the annual budget, our bill will help ensure that funding is readily available to communities for disaster relief during these emergencies, while also saving taxpayers billions of dollars in avoidable spending."

Senator Braun emphasized the importance of applying the same principles used in the private sector to Congress, saying, "In the private sector, we budget for rainy days or offset unexpected expenditures with spending cuts, and the same principles should apply to Congress. By incorporating disaster spending into the annual budget, we can help Americans with disaster assistance without the process becoming a pathway for runaway spending on unrelated projects."

The Budgeting for Disasters Act seeks to address a flaw in the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA), which placed caps on discretionary spending for 10 years but allowed Congress to use special statutory "adjustments" to increase spending outside the caps for disasters. The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 reinstated caps on discretionary spending for fiscal years 2024 and 2025, while still allowing for disaster spending outside the statutory caps. Between 2012 and 2021, Congress spent over $400 billion outside discretionary spending caps on emergency and disaster relief.

The Budgeting for Disasters Act aims to bring disaster and wildfire spending inside the budget caps, recognizing that disasters will continue to strike each year and that Congress should plan for them in advance. This legislation is a practical first step as Congress explores ways to reform its emergency spending.

The Budgeting for Disasters Act specifically outlines the following measures:

- "Require Congress to include disaster spending within the statutory budget limits.

- Require the Office of Management and Budget to provide an estimate of the average annual disaster spending for the upcoming 10-year period.

- Allow Congress to adjust the statutory budget limits for disaster spending by a two-thirds majority vote in both Houses of Congress.

- Prohibit the use of emergency, disaster relief, or wildfire suppression appropriations from exceeding the adjusted statutory budget limits."

By implementing these measures, the Budgeting for Disasters Act aims to ensure that disaster funding is adequately accounted for within the budget process, providing timely and sufficient assistance to affected communities while also ensuring fiscal responsibility.

As the legislation gains traction, it remains to be seen how Congress will respond to the proposal. However, Senators Romney and Braun's reintroduction of the Budgeting for Disasters Act highlights the need for a more proactive and responsible approach to budgeting for natural emergencies.