Harmful algal blooms are becoming more frequent, widespread, and severe across the United States, posing serious threats to public health, local economies, and ecosystems. These blooms can contaminate drinking water, close beaches, kill fish and wildlife, and devastate industries like fishing and tourism.

Currently, communities bear much of the financial burden for responding to and recovering from these events without the full scope of federal disaster relief available for other natural disasters. This bill matters because it would create a federal safety net, allowing critical resources to flow to affected areas when they need it most. If the bill doesn't pass, communities will continue to face the significant and growing costs of algal bloom impacts largely on their own, potentially leading to slower recovery, greater economic damage, and prolonged public health risks.