UNITY Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 4408 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4408 To study the effectiveness of disaster response and recovery in noncontiguous communities, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 15, 2025 Ms. King-Hinds introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To study the effectiveness of disaster response and recovery in noncontiguous communities, 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 ``Understanding Noncontiguous Infrastructure and Threats Year-round Act'' or the ``UNITY Act''. SEC. 2. IMPROVING DISASTER WORKFORCE RETENTION IN NONCONTIGUOUS COMMUNITIES. (a) In General.--The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall conduct a study on the effectiveness of practices of the Agency relating to hiring, recruitment, and retention in noncontiguous communities by soliciting feedback from staff in such communities. (b) Contents.--In conducting the study under subsection (a), the Administrator shall-- (1) evaluate the recruitment strategies of the Agency and efforts of the Agency to broaden the pool of qualified local candidates; (2) prioritize input from communities in which there are the most severe staffing shortages; and (3) identify specific steps that the Agency can take to improve opportunities for staff in noncontiguous communities. (c) Briefing.--Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall brief the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the C