Senate Advances Padilla, Murkowski Bipartisan Legislation to Reauthorize National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) announced that the Senate Commerce Committee unanimously advanced their bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) through Fiscal Year 2028. The bill would provide lifesaving funding to support research, development, and implementation activities related to earthquake safety and risk reduction.
The NEHRP Reauthorization Act of 2025 would reauthorize annual funding from FY 2024-2028 across the four federal agencies responsible for long-term earthquake risk reduction under NEHRP: the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The Senate unanimously passed a version of this bill late last year, but it was not taken up in the House of Representatives.
“It is not a matter of if, but when the next major earthquake strikes, and Californians know the importance of staying prepared,” said Senator Padilla. “The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program supports crucial tools like the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System, works to advance scientific understanding of earthquakes, and strengthens earthquake resilience in communities nationwide. I am glad to see this bipartisan effort move forward, and with the safety of our communities at stake, we must reauthorize this critical program as soon as possible.”
“Alaska is no stranger to massive earthquakes that can cause serious damage to our communities. From the 1964 Good Friday earthquake, the 7.1 earthquake in 2018, to the thousands of smaller quakes that rattle our state each year—it’s critical we invest in programs that keep us prepared and ready to respond to disaster,” said Senator Murkowski. “I am pleased to see that the Commerce Committee has advanced the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act, which will modernize earthquake safety programs in western states, reinforcing our readiness for future seismic activity. I look forward to supporting legislation on the Senate Floor.”
“The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute applauds the Senate Commerce Committee’s bipartisan advancement of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025. This is a critical step in strengthening our nation’s long-term resilience to earthquakes. With an estimated $15 billion in losses from earthquakes in the U.S. every year, sustained support for mitigation is not only cost-effective—it is essential. We are encouraged to see momentum behind this program and look forward to continuing the vital work of reducing seismic risk in communities across the country,” said Ellen Rathje, President of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute.
“The International Code Council welcomes Senator Padilla and Murkowski’s bipartisan leadership to reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP),” said Code Council Chief Executive Officer John Belcik. “We call on Congress to immediately reauthorize NEHRP to continue the advancement of model building codes that improve building safety and earthquake resilience.”
“The American Society of Civil Engineer (ASCE) applauds Senators Alex Padilla and Lisa Murkowski for prioritizing the resilience of our nation’s infrastructure against seismic events and is pleased to support their efforts to reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP). Since 1977, NEHRP has provided the resources and leadership that have led to significant advances in understanding the risk earthquakes pose and the best ways to mitigate them. This reauthorization will ensure that NEHRP resources continue to improve our understanding of earthquakes and guide the ASCE standards that form the backbone of building codes that protect public health, safety, and economic vitality,” said ASCE Past President Marsia Geldert-Murphey.
“The National Council of Structural Engineers Associations is proud to support the NERHP reauthorization bill and is grateful for the bi-partisan leadership of Senators Padilla and Murkowski. NCSEA urges Congress to prioritize reauthorization to enable the NEHRP agencies to contribute critical science, knowledge, and other best practices toward the development of codes, standards, and other resources used by structural engineers around the country to improve the earthquake resilience of our communities,” said Alfred Spada, Executive Director of the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA).
“SEAOC commends Senators Padilla and Murkowski for championing NEHRP reauthorization, aligning with Structural Engineers Association of California’s (SEAOC) commitment to enhanced seismic safety and community resilience. SEAOC implores Congress to act promptly in fortifying California and the entire nation against the seismic challenges ahead,” said Don Schinske, Executive Director of the Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC).
This NEHRP reauthorization includes:
- Directing state and local entities to inventory high risk buildings and structures;
- Expanding seismic events to include earthquake-caused tsunamis;
- Providing more technical assistance to tribal governments; and
- Improving mitigation for earthquake-connected hazards.
California faces substantial earthquake risks. According to the California Department of Conservation, over 70 percent of Californians live within 30 miles of a fault that could cause high ground shaking within the next 50 years. The state averages two to three earthquakes per year at magnitude 5.5 or higher, risking moderate structural damage. Because of these major earthquake risks, California has become a leader in earthquake research, including through the California Institute of Technology Seismological Laboratory.
The NEHRP Reauthorization Act of 2025 is endorsed by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), International Code Council, National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA), and Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC).
Senator Padilla has long been a leader in mitigating earthquake risks. As a California State Senator, Padilla authored Senate Bill 135, signed by Governor Jerry Brown in 2013, which required the state to establish the nation’s first statewide early warning system. In 2021, he led five of his U.S. Senate colleagues in requesting details from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on future plans and funding needs for the West Coast Early Earthquake Warning system.