Stafford Act is signed into law, defining the federal disaster role

President Ronald Reagan signed the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act on November 23, 1988, amending the Disaster Relief Act of 1974 and creating the statutory framework still in use today. The law established the presidential disaster declaration process, defined FEMA authorities, and set the 75 percent federal cost-sharing minimum for public assistance. The Stafford Act remains the primary legal authority for federal disaster response.