S. 3606, National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2024

S. 3606 would amend the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 to make changes to the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, an interagency program focused on reducing earthquake-related risks to life and property. S. 3606 also would reauthorize appropriations of about $175 million annually for fiscal years 2024 through 2028 for the U.S. Geological Survey, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology to implement the program. 

Additionally, the bill would require the agencies to develop best practices to assist state, local, and tribal governments with creating inventories of critical buildings and structures, and with developing evacuation plans and expanding early warning systems. The agencies also would be required to report to the Congress every two years about activities related to the program. 

CBO assumes that the bill will be enacted near the end of calendar year 2024 and that the authorized amounts will be provided for each year beginning in 2025. In 2024, the agencies allocated $164 million for the program from funds provided in the appropriation acts for that year. On that basis, CBO estimates the bill would authorize an additional $11 million in 2024.