Press Releases

Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY-19) today announced the Think DIFFERENTLY About Emergencies Act has passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support. This comes one month after Rep. Molinaro held a Think DIFFERENTLY Day of Action in Broome County, in which he called on Congress to pass legislation he authored to break down barriers in key areas of society for individuals with disabilities.

Watch Rep. Molinaro speak on the House Floor about the bill here.

A study prepared for the United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction found that individuals with disabilities are two to four times more likely to die or be critically injured during disaster situations. With billion-dollar natural disasters on the rise in the United States, Rep. Molinaro authored this bill to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to commission a report on the assistance and resources available to individuals with disabilities and their families that are impacted by major disasters.

Rep Molinaro said, "Individuals with disabilities are more likely to be critically injured or die during natural disasters. My bill ensures no one is left behind by working to get them specialized support to safely evacuate and recover after a disaster strikes." 

This is Rep. Molinaro’s third standalone bill to pass the House since taking office. In total, he has authored and passed 33 measures in the House as part of larger legislation. Rep. Molinaro introduced the Think DIFFERENTLY About Emergencies Act alongside U.S. Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV-1).