H.R. 437

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to expand assistance related to winter storms, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES · January 15, 2025 · Sponsor: Mr. Kennedy of New York · Committee: Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

H.R. 437

SEC. 1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the or the .

SEC. 2. Winter storms

(a) Use of assistance for winter storms
- Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act () is amended by adding at the end the following: 42 U.S.C. 5170c
  - (h) Use of assistance for winter storms
    - Recipients of hazard mitigation assistance provided under this section and section 203 may use the assistance to conduct activities to help reduce the risk of future damage, hardship, loss, or suffering in any area affected by a winter storm, including acquiring equipment to remove snow.
  - (i) Winter storm defined
    - In this section, the term winter storm means a combination of heavy snow, blowing snow, or dangerous wind chills, as determined by the Administrator.
(b) Waiver of snowfall methodology and damages requirement
- The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall, by rule, establish a process to waive the methodology related to the amount of snowfall required to declare a winter storm eligible for a major disaster declaration and to waive the statewide total damages required for such eligibility, if at least 2 of the following conditions are met for a response zone or region affected by a winter storm:
  - A State emergency management agency determines in writing that the damages of such winter storm exceed the damages required for such State to issue a disaster declaration for such a response zone or region.
  - The National Weather Service determines that, during such winter storm, such a response zone or region has experienced—
    - wind speeds that are greater than 58 miles per hour and a wind chill below 0 degrees Fahrenheit; or
    - lake-effect snow and conditions for more than 24 hours.
  - The Bureau of the Census determines that such a response zone or region—
    - represents a population for which the real median household income is below the real median household income in the United States; or
    - is an area that is not an urban area.
(c) Regulations related to winter storms
- (1) In general
  - The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall issue such regulations, as may be necessary or appropriate, as follows:
    - To provide assistance for winter storms authorized under sections 402, 403, 406, 407, 418, 419, 421(d), 502, and 503 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (, 5170b, 5172, 5173, 5185, 5186, 5188(d), 5192, 5193) related to the following: 42 U.S.C. 5170a
      - (i) Debris removal.
      - (ii) Roads and bridges.
      - (iii) Water control facilities.
      - (iv) Public buildings and contents.
      - (v) Public utilities.
      - (vi) Parks, recreational, and other facilities.
    - To provide assistance for winter storms authorized under sections 408 and 503 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (, 5193) when the State emergency management agency determines that the magnitude or estimated threat of an incident in a response zone or region exceeds the capacity of the State or local government (as such term is defined in section 102 of such Act ()) with jurisdiction over such response zone or region to respond or recover. 42 U.S.C. 5174; 42 U.S.C. 5122
(d) Definitions
- In this section:
  - The term response zone or region means an area that a State emergency management agency has listed as a response zone or region for the purpose of determining any damages required for such State to issue a disaster declaration.
  - The term winter storm has the meaning given in section 404(i) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (), as added by subsection (a) of this section. 42 U.S.C. 5170c(i)

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act () is amended— 42 U.S.C. 5170 et seq.
- in section 403—
  - (b) Federal share
    - (1) In general
      - The Federal share of assistance under this section shall be not less than 75 percent of the eligible cost of such assistance.
    - (2) Rural or disadvantaged areas
      - Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Federal share of assistance under this section shall be not less than 90 percent of the eligible cost of such assistance in a rural or disadvantaged area.
  - by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
    - (e) Rural or disadvantaged area defined
      - In this section, the term rural or disadvantaged area means an area that the Bureau of the Census has determined—
        
        represents a population for which the real median household income is below the real median household income in the United States; or
        
        is not an urban area.
  - by adding at the end the following:
- in section 404—
  - by striking and inserting the following:
    - (a) Federal share
      - (1) In general
        
        The President
    - (2) Disadvantaged urban communities
      - Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the President may contribute up to 90 percent of the cost of hazard mitigation measures which the President has determined are cost effective and which substantially reduce the risk of, or increase resilience to, future damage, hardship, loss, or suffering in a rural or disadvantaged area (as such term is defined in section 403) affected by a major disaster, or by a fire for which assistance was provided under section 420. Such measures shall be identified following the evaluation of natural hazards under section 322 and shall be subject to approval by the President. Subject to section 322, the total of contributions under this section for a major disaster or event under section 420 shall not exceed 15 percent for amounts not more than $2,000,000,000, 10 percent for amounts of more than $2,000,000,000 and not more than $10,000,000,000, and 7.5 percent on amounts of more than $10,000,000,000 and not more than $35,333,000,000 of the estimated aggregate amount of grants to be made (less any associated administrative costs) under this Act with respect to the major disaster or event under section 420.
  - in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following:
  - (d) Federal share
    - (1) In general
      - The Federal share of assistance under this section shall be not less than 75 percent of the eligible cost of debris and wreckage removal carried out under this section.
    - (2) Rural or disadvantaged areas
      - Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Federal share of assistance under this section shall be not less than 90 percent of the eligible cost of debris and wreckage removal carried out under this section in a rural or disadvantaged area (as such term is defined in section 403).
- by amending section 407(d) to read as follows:
  - (a) Federal share
    - (1) In general
      - The Federal share for assistance provided under this title shall be equal to not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs.
    - (2) Rural or disadvantaged areas
      - Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Federal share of assistance under this title shall be not less than 90 percent of the eligible costs in a rural or disadvantaged area (as such term is defined in section 403).
- by amending section 503(a) to read as follows:

H.R. 437

Table of contents

SEC. 1. Short title

SEC. 2. Winter storms

SEC. 3. Federal cost share