U.S. Representative Rob Bresnahan, Jr. (PA-08) welcomed the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s decision to reinstate the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, according to a Mar. 19 statement. The announcement follows months of advocacy aimed at preserving disaster mitigation funding for communities in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
The reinstatement of the BRIC program is significant for areas that have faced repeated natural disasters and rely on federal support to recover and prepare for future events. Bresnahan said, “This reversal is a direct result of sustained pressure from members of Congress who refused to let this program disappear.” He added, “I’ve seen the detrimental long-term effect natural disasters can have on small towns and cities, and without the necessary resources, that effect only gets worse.”
FEMA had initially announced the termination of the BRIC program on April 4, 2025. Five days later, Bresnahan sent a letter to the then-acting FEMA Administrator voicing his opposition to ending the program. In his letter, Bresnahan wrote, “In cases where communities cannot bear the full cost of property purchases, programs like BRIC are not wasteful, but well within the purview of federal coordination of disaster relief efforts.” He continued, “The BRIC program has, and can continue to, support communities like those in my district. I urge you in the strongest possible manner to revive this program.”
Bresnahan also introduced legislation called the Save BRIC Act with Representative Greg Stanton (AZ-04), aiming to ensure FEMA continues delivering BRIC funding for disaster preparedness and infrastructure protection.
Communities in Pennsylvania’s Eighth Congressional District have experienced several major flooding events over recent decades. Notable incidents include flash flooding in Honesdale in May 2025; $25 million in damages from Luzerne County floods in September 2023; record river crests during storms in September 2011; and widespread destruction from Hurricane Agnes in 1972.
Despite FEMA’s move to restore BRIC funding, both FEMA and its parent agency—the Department of Homeland Security—have been shut down since February 14, 2026. Bresnahan said it is unacceptable that critical agencies remain stalled while communities wait for disaster relief funds: “For over a month, DHS employees have shown up to their jobs without the promise of a paycheck at the end of the week and agencies, like FEMA, lie dormant as they wait for a resurge in funding. Senate Democrats need to stop playing politics, reopen DHS immediately, and ensure these essential programs are fully operational.”
Bresnahan’s office stated it is prepared to assist local communities seeking access to federal disaster mitigation resources.
