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H.R. 7996119th CongressIn committeeLatest action Mar 20, 2026Decoded by AI · checked against the record
The plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
HR 7996 adds utility line technicians to the federal definition of emergency response provider during presidentially declared disasters.
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HR 7996 amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to add utility line technicians to the legal definition of emergency response provider. This recognition currently applies to groups like police, firefighters, and emergency medical workers. The change would apply only when technicians are responding to a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency.
The bill most directly affects utility line technicians and the companies or utilities that employ them. State and local emergency managers who coordinate disaster response would also be affected, as would residents in disaster-affected areas.
Federal recognition as an emergency response provider can affect access to disaster zones, coordination with federal agencies, and eligibility for certain federal programs or protections. Utility crews have not always been treated the same way under federal law as traditional first responders, even when working in the immediate aftermath of major storms or hurricanes.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.