Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act

United States [1988]

Also known as: Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Stafford Act(Show More)

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July 22, 2026

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The Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act is a United States federal law that provides a framework for disaster relief and emergency assistance. It outlines how federal resources are coordinated before, during, and after natural and human-generated disasters. The Act is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), an independent U.S. government organization dedicated to disaster relief. FEMA's role includes coordinating the effective distribution of federal resources to aid in disaster recovery. Since 2003, FEMA has been part of the Department of Homeland Security.1

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Defense Production Act
…preparedness activities” (defined by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act [1988] as “all those activities and measures designed or undertaken to prepare for or minimize the effects of a hazard upon the civilian population”).
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…preparedness activities” (defined by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act [1988] as “all those activities and measures designed or undertaken to prepare for or minimize the effects of a hazard upon the civilian population”).
Read More