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Amends clauses (iii) and (iv) of 42 U.S.C. 5174(c)(1)(B) by replacing the phrase '18-month period' with '24-month period'.
Amends subsection (a) of 42 U.S.C. 5170b to (1) add a new subparagraph authorizing minor repairs up to habitability of owner-occupied homes damaged by a disaster, and (2) add new paragraphs requiring identification of sheltering/housing options within 15 days after a major disaster and defining 'minor repairs up to habitability' by reference to 24 C.F.R. 576.403(c) (or successor regulations).
Amends section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) to (A) replace subsection (c)(2) with new text authorizing financial assistance and direct assistance for repairs to owner-occupied private residences, utilities, and residential infrastructure damaged by a major disaster (including accessibility for individuals with disabilities), setting eligibility, coordination, and relationship-to-other-assistance rules; (B) amend subsection (c)(4) by striking the text beginning 'in cases in which' through the end of the paragraph and inserting a new cost-effectiveness standard for the President; and (C) amend subsection (b)(1) by replacing the phrase 'rendered uninhabitable' (and related phrasing) with 'damaged by a major disaster'.
Adds requirements that the FEMA Administrator, when making recommendations to the President regarding declarations under sections 401 or 501 of the Stafford Act or the proposed non-Federal share of costs, give greater weight to severe local impact and to whether multiple other disasters/emergencies occurred in the affected area in the prior 5 years; requires revision of FEMA policies/guidance/regulations and a report to specified congressional committees within 1 year.
Adds a new section (431) to title IV of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act establishing a Natural Disaster Recovery Program and a Natural Disaster Recovery Reserve Fund with rules for fund composition, uses, allocation, reporting, administrative cost limits, environmental review adoption, best practices, and definitions.
Creates a new federal Natural Disaster Recovery Reserve Fund and a matching Natural Disaster Recovery Program to pay for unmet recovery needs after major disasters, and expands FEMA authorities to speed home repairs and improve assistance. It requires quick assessments of unmet needs, allows grants to States and Tribal governments, raises weight on severe local impacts when recommending declarations, extends the Individuals and Households Program assistance period, strengthens appeal and inspection access rules, and directs multiple reports and GAO reviews to improve oversight.
The Comptroller General of the United States must submit a report to Congress on the length of time it takes the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to officially close out each major disaster declared under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act pursuant to section 705.
Adds a new section titled “431 Natural Disaster Recovery Program” to the end of title IV of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.
Establishes in the U.S. Treasury an account called the Natural Disaster Recovery Reserve Fund (the “Fund”).
Specifies Fund sources: (A) amounts appropriated and deposited in the Fund for a specific major disaster declared under section 401; and (B) amounts deposited into the Fund under the section’s unused-amounts rules.
Permits amounts in the Fund, following a major disaster declaration, to be made available to States and Indian tribal governments for unmet needs related to that declared disaster.
Who is affected and how:
Homeowners and disaster-affected households: Greater access to federal funds for unmet recovery needs, quicker minor home repairs to restore habitability, longer eligibility for temporary assistance (IHP extended to 24 months), and improved access to the documents and explanations used in eligibility decisions and inspections.
State governments and Tribal governments: New grant opportunities to address unmet needs and additional reporting, auditing, and fiscal-control responsibilities; allocations are to be proportional and subject to administrative cost caps and oversight.
FEMA and federal partners (including SBA): New responsibilities to run the Reserve Fund program, conduct rapid unmet-needs assessments, update declaration/cost-share policies, implement Emergency Home Repair authority, publish best practices, and meet reporting and regulatory deadlines—requiring staff time and possible systems changes.
Auditors, grantees, and program administrators: Increased documentation, procurement and reporting requirements, and audits by State/tribal auditors and GAO reviews.
Communities repeatedly hit or severely affected by disasters: Intended to receive greater weight for declarations and cost-sharing decisions, which may increase federal assistance for high-impact or frequently impacted areas.
Potential fiscal and operational effects:
Federal cost: The Reserve Fund and grant authorities create potential new federal spending obligations; actual costs depend on future appropriations and how much of the Disaster Relief Fund is set aside for technical/financial assistance.
Implementation complexity: Rapid assessments, proportional allocations, procurement rules, new appeals processes, and regulatory timelines require coordination across agencies and between federal and non‑federal partners; capacity differences among States and Tribes may affect rollout.
Oversight and transparency: Multiple reporting requirements and GAO reviews aim to improve accountability and identify weaknesses in closeout timelines and State fiscal controls.
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Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Introduced January 9, 2025 by David Rouzer · Last progress January 9, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Introduced in House